Turkish Trade Ministry confirms disinfectant purchase from minister's company

Duvar English 

The Turkish Trade Ministry confirmed a 500,000-lira purchase from Minister Ruhsar Pekcan's company Nanoksia Biyoteknoloji which the agency claimed was nearly half the market price for the disinfectant material. 

The ministry refuted reports by OdaTV that they had purchased up to nine million liras' worth of protective equipment from Nanoksia Biyoteknoloji, and said that the total sum of spending on PPE by the ministry neared 7 million liras without tax, including purchases from other companies. 

"A 507,880-lira purchase of disinfectants was made from Nanoksia Biyoteknoloji upon all necessary market research, at a price below market averages and within legal procedures," the Trade Ministry said in the statement. 

The purchase of disinfectant from Nanoksia Biyoteknoloji would have cost 853,000 liras if it wasn't bought directly from Pekcan's company, the ministry added. 

OdaTV's reports that the ministry purchased supplies from Karon Engineering were entirely untrue and aimed to cast the ministry in a negative light, the statement said, adding that Ankara reserves the right to pursue legal means on the matter.

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