10.12.2025 22:00
In relation to the investigation into the Grand Kartal Hotel fire at the Bolu Kartalkaya Ski Resort, which resulted in the deaths of 78 people and injuries to 137 others on January 21, a judicial control measure of "prohibition from leaving the country" has been imposed on 9 personnel from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism who were questioned.
While the investigation into the fire that occurred on January 21 at Bolu Kartalkaya Ski Resort, which claimed the lives of 78 people, continues, a travel ban has been imposed on 9 personnel affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
NINE MINISTRY BUREAUCRATS GAVE TESTIMONY IN THE KARTALKAYA FIRE TRAGEDY
As part of the investigation conducted by the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the crime of "causing death and injury by negligence," bureaucrats from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism were summoned to give testimony. Connecting via the Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBİS) from their locations, Neşe Çıldık, the General Director of Investments and Enterprises of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, former General Director Şennur Aldemir Doğan, and ministry bureaucrats and general directorate personnel Levent Kırcan, Elçin Şimşek Öncü, Bülent Çınar Çavuş, Ramazan Alkan, Melda Araz, Şule Aktürk Alkan, and Barış Başayvaz provided their statements on November 28 and December 1 and 2.
TRAVEL BAN ON BUREAUCRATS
After their testimonies, the prosecutor's office referred the 9 suspects to the duty magistrate court. A judicial control decision was made for the 9 suspects, who were connected to the Bolu 1st and 2nd Magistrate Courts via SEGBİS on the same dates, stating that they could not leave the country. Meanwhile, the statements of the suspects to the prosecutor's office and the court were obtained. Melda Araz, the Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, stated that she conducted an inspection at the Grand Kartal Hotel on December 7, 1999, which included safety for life and property, and identified many deficiencies.
Araz reported that after these deficiencies were addressed, a partial tourism operation certificate was issued on April 11, 2000, and she used the following statements: "In the inspection report dated January 21, 2021, it was stated that it would be appropriate to report the 88-bed staff accommodation by adding it to the plan obtained during the inspection, and that action would be taken if a favorable opinion was received from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. In the inspection research report dated March 8, 2021, it was stated that it would be appropriate to renew the certificate for the facility, which is a 3-star hotel with a tourism operation certificate under the main company, Kartal Otel San. AŞ., after examining the file."
"I DID NOT SEE ANY INSUFFICIENCY REGARDING FIRE SAFETY"
Araz responded to the question regarding why deficiencies related to fire safety were identified in the inspections of 3 hotels with the same status as the Grand Kartal Hotel in 2014, 2020, and 2021, but no deficiencies were found in the inspections of the Grand Kartal Hotel, as follows:
"Since I did not observe any fire safety deficiencies that could be identified by observation during the inspection at the Grand Kartal Hotel in 2021, I did not make any notifications to the relevant institutions during this inspection. In the inspection report dated 2021 for the Grand Kartal Hotel, there was no issue that caught my eye regarding the safety of life and property. This inspection was conducted within the framework of the regulations concerning the qualifications of tourism facilities."
Chief Inspector Barış Başayvaz also stated that an inspection was carried out regarding the qualifications of the staff at the Grand Kartal Hotel. He expressed his belief that the inspection regarding safety for life and property, as stated in Article 131 of the Regulation on Fire Protection of Buildings, falls under the responsibility of the inspectors of the responsible ministries, arguing that the responsibilities were assigned to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, as well as the provincial special administration and the municipality's fire department.
"I BELIEVE THAT THE INSPECTIONS WE CONDUCTED WILL NOT IMPOSE RESPONSIBILITY ON US"
In response to a question regarding the identification of deficiencies related to fire safety in the inspections of 3 hotels with the same status as the Grand Kartal Hotel and the absence of deficiencies in the inspections conducted at the Grand Kartal Hotel, Başayvaz noted that inspections regarding safety for life and property were conducted on the specified dates, and stated that they had no legal obligation in this regard according to laws and regulations.
Başayvaz emphasized that the fact that non-mandatory tasks were carried out by their units in the past does not mean that this issue has been assigned to them, stating, "I believe that the findings we made in the past will not impose responsibility on us. The findings made are already contrary findings that do not exist in our relevant legislation."