Deputy PM Simsek comments about list submitted to Germany with 700 companies

Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet SIMSEK, who gave an interview to the German “Der Spiegel” magazine, said that Turkey had been through a difficult period and he understood that investors could have questions. Stating that the bad period was left behind, SIMSEK said, “I can reassure the business world that Turkey is as open, liberal and entrepreneur-friendly as it was in the past”.

In reply to a question about the allegations that the Turkish authorities had given Germany a list with names of about 700 companies linked to terrorism, the minister said:

“As soon as I was aware of this list via the media, I called the Justice Minister and the Internal Affairs Minister, who both assured me that there had never been an investigation into German companies due to financial support to terrorism.”

Turkish companies, part of the FETO network, established business links abroad. Turkish Interior Ministry wanted to obtain information via Interpol about these companies, and not their foreign partners. The list included 9,800 companies, from more than 50 countries and not from Germany only… There has not been any legal process for any of these companies. Still to avoid any further misunderstanding we withdrew the list.

In reply to a question that went “The German government has announced that it will give a new direction to relations with Turkey, and among these, there is a possibility to examine the guarantor status issue regarding German companies in Turkey,” SIMSEK said, “Germany is the leader of the European Union. What Germany says, we take seriously. But the behavior of the German government is clearly based on false information. I can understand that the list has caused hurt feelings.”

He pointed out that the year 2016 had been an extraordinary year for Turkey and said “Remember what we have been through: asylum crisis, terrorist attacks, tensions with Russia, failed coup attempt. Many countries would have suffered recession due to such events. Turkish economy grew. We expect empathy and solidarity with the Turkish people from our allies in Europe and the United States”.