Former Turkish minister's company 'sold expired disinfectants'

The company of a former Turkish minister has sold expired disinfectants, Halk TV reported. Former minister Ruhsar Pekcan came under fire in April after it was revealed that she sold disinfectant to the ministry from her own company.

Tuesday August 10 2021 01:40 pm

Duvar English

Turkey's former trade minister Ruhsar Pekcan has drawn ire once again after reports of her company selling expired disinfectants emerged.

Pekcan, who was sacked from his post in April, previously came under fire for selling disinfectants to the ministry from her own company.

Footage obtained by Halk TV shows expired disinfectants being prepared to be sold by Pekcan's company Nanoksia Biyoteknoloji. The residues on the disinfectants in question are seen to be removed before they are released onto the market once again.

"Don't get the ones with lines on them. That's fungi," a man, who was later revealed to be the driver of Pekcan's husband, was heard saying in the video.

Dezenfektan skandalında yeni perde:
Pekcan, bozuk ürünleri böyle piyasaya sürmüş@ismailsaymaz #ÖZELHABER
— Halk TV (@halktvcomtr) August 10, 2021

In April, Pekcan defended herself by saying that the disinfectants were sold below market price, but it was later revealed that she overpriced the material.

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its junior coalition partner Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have previously voted down parliamentary motions calling for an investigation into the Trade Ministry's procurement of thousands of liters of disinfectants from former Pekcan's family-run company.

The authorities have not investigated Pekcan for the alleged crime.