Head of Turkey’s media watchdog resigns from Türksat board
The director of Turkey’s Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) Ebubekir Şahin resigned from the executive board of Türksat, the only communications satellite operator in Turkey, Turkish news site Oda TV wrote on Tuesday.
The move by Şahin follows criticsm levelled at the RTÜK director by main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who on Tuesday accused Şahin of “immoral” income through multiple posts that create a conflict of interest.
Former RTÜK member Faruk Bildirici, who last week was dismissed from the council, also accused Şahin of receiving three separate salaries from public institutions, which he said posed a conflict of interest.
CHP’s RTÜK member İlhan Taşçı had handed in a petition on Monday, demanding the dismissal of Şahin from the council due to a conflict of interest with his duties at Türksat, which directly overlap with the watchdog responsibilities of RTÜK.
“RTÜK Director Ebubekir Şahin’s decision to resign today is apt, to both eliminate the unlawful situation we have been monitoring and to avoid depreciation of RTÜK,” Taşçı was quoted by Oda TV as saying.
Şahin has not commented on his resignation.
