CHP demanded a parliamentary investigation..

Opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) asked Parliament to send Transport Minister Binali Yildirim to Supreme Court for abuse of office since he provided privilege and facilities to a maritime company which has commercial links with "Derin Denizcilik", run by and his son and daughter.

CHP prepared an investigation motion with this aim. CHP Deputy Group Chairman Mustafa Ozyurek held a press conference in Parliament and called on Yildirim to resign from his office immediately.

"What the minister should do is to pack up and resign. He should not be sacked or forced to resign. Yildirim should no longer serve at such an important ministry. The prime minister should either dismiss him or force him to resign," Ozyurek said.

CHP’s motion included claims which were published in the Turkish press about Yildirim recently. The motion stated that Derin Denizcilik Vessel Transport Industry and Limited Corporation, run by Yildirim’s son Erkan and daughter Bahar Busra, bought a vessel from Italy at 445,000 euros. It’s stressed that Erkan Yildirim sold 200,000 euros worth passenger tickets to international travel agencies in advance in order to buy this vessel.

One of these travel agencies is Santour Company which later leased Ankara Ferry from Turkish Maritime Enterprises, arousing suspicions in people. The suspicions increased as this leasing was realized without a tender process and the leasing contract included some provisions that provided advantages to Santour.

CHP said in its motion that Minister Yildirim announced that he had no partnership relation with Santour in the past but emphasized that documents proved that Santour and Sancak Line, which Yildirim worked as manager before he entered politics, were running under the same roof. CHP said that Yildirim misled the people by his statements.

The motion read that a vessel of Sancak Line-Santour companies, which does not obey international standards, entered Italy upon a statement from the Turkish Transport Ministry and claimed that Yildirim abused his office by this method