An opposition party leader has called on Turkish prosecutors to act on the case.
Opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli yesterday lambasted the prime minister, who has been accused of involvement in the case of fraud involving the German Deniz Feneri and exchanged harsh accusations with Doğan Media Group owner Aydın Doğan over the issue. "The prime minister is abetting corruption," Bahçeli said.

Certain newspapers claimed last week that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's name was mentioned in the indictment by a suspect who testified that some money from the charity's funds was transferred to the Prime Ministry. Erdoğan attacked Doğan, the owner of the media group that owned newspapers which ran the story, saying Doğan was purposefully attacking him and his party over an unfulfilled request from the government concerning a land zoning change in İstanbul.

Bahçeli also stated that the State Inspection Council should act immediately over the ongoing court case in Germany.

The claims in the case against the charity reached as far as the head of Turkey's media watchdog, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), who was a former executive of a conservative media organ. An executive from the charity and the charity's accountant appearing before a German court said that donated funds were transferred to Turkish conservative media organs, including Kanal 7, the television station where the idea to establish Deniz Feneri initially emerged through a charity program. The German police last year raided the Deniz Feneri and Kanal 7 offices in Frankfurt following allegations of fraud and money laundering. Some officials were arrested by the police after the raid.

At the press conference Deniz Feneri President Engin Yılmaz responded to the allegations, not saying anything different from the press release that the organization issued last week. During his remarks, Yılmaz asserted once more that the Turkish Deniz Feneri does not have any ties with the German Deniz Feneri e.V. and that their organization is not involved in any illegal acts, saying that they were inspected by the Internal Affairs Ministry between May and August 2007 and that no illegal activity was uncovered in the inspections. Yılmaz also called on everyone to visit the organization and witness how they work, emphasizing they have nothing to do with allegations of fraud and that they are completely transparent in their dealings. However, he admitted that his organization had accepted 7 million euros in donations from the Germany-based Deniz Feneri e.V., but stressed that they did not have any "official or legal" ties with Deniz Feneri e.V., which was among other foreign institutions, including the European Union, that extended financial support to their organization.

As to the similar names of the two charities, Yılmaz said it is the destiny of all famous brands to be imitated by others: "Deniz Feneri has taken all necessary precautions against such formations and has invited organizations using the same name to be one of our branches. This was the case for the German Deniz Feneri as well. [The Turkish] Deniz Feneri accepted donations from Deniz Feneri e.V. legally."

Yılmaz also attempted to address questions about why he went to Germany and spoke about allegations that he had become a guarantor of accused officials from the German Deniz Feneri. "Over the past few weeks, there were some untrue news stories alleging that I went to Germany to defend accused German Deniz Feneri officials. However, I went there to declare to German legal bodies that our organization has no legal or organic ties with the German Deniz Feneri. I did not become a guarantor of anyone. I only expressed my hope that they are not guilty since it [Deniz Feneri e.V.] is a nonprofit organization working for the good of the public. I do not understand how my words have turned into 'I am sure they are not guilty.' We cannot decide now if they are guilty or not because the court case is continuing."

Another issue addressed at the conference was ties between Kanal 7 and the organization. Kanal 7 broadcasts television programs on the organization for no profit, but has been accused of taking a share of donations. The president of Deniz Feneri countered, saying the TV station is only a medium that carries the missions of the Turkish Deniz Feneri, adding: "Kanal 7 hosts our programs as a social responsibility project. We know this responsibility is not limited to Kanal 7, and we are ready to cooperate with all media institutions that have the ability to broadcast our cause. The success of the program on Kanal 7 is important for us since it brings millions of people, the needy and those who wish to donate, together."

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