Qatari company to operate Antalya Port for another 19 years without tender
A new law submitted by AKP deputies to the Parliament also included an extension of the operating period of 18 ports. Moreover, this will be done without negotiations and tenders. Among the 18 ports is the Port of Antalya, which the Qatari company has taken over for US$ 140 million.
The operation of Antalya Port was transferred to Qatari company “QTerminals” last year until 2028. When the extension of the period was first on the Parliament’s agenda and was withdrawn due to the opposition’s objection, CHP Antalya DEPUTY Osman Budak said: “The first goal of this arrangement was to extend the duration of the Port of Antalya, which the Qataris took over last year until 2028, to 2047 without tender. In addition, the operating period of the Iskenderun Port operated by Yandaş LIMAK would be extended to 2061 and the operating period of the Mersin Port would be extended again without a tender until 2056.”
After Erdogan’s visit to Qatar
It was noted that concerned law was submitted to the Parliament after the visit of President Erdogan to Qatar.
In the foreign press, Erdogan’s visit was interpreted as a ‘search for hot money’. “Has Turkey come to Qatar to demand money,” a Reuters reporter had asked Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdurrahman Al-Sani, in a joint news conference in presence of the Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who was also in Erdogan’s delegation.
On the other hand not only Qatar, but also Limak which is one of the 5 construction companies close to the government is said to benefit from this bag law.
