21.01.2026 15:43
On the first anniversary of the Kartalkaya disaster, in which 78 people lost their lives, those who died were commemorated. Lawyer Yüksel Gültekin, who lost 8 relatives in the fire, expressed his anger by saying, "The expert report revealed that the main responsible party for the incident is the Ministry of Tourism. The Minister of Tourism has been in office for a year now. Our patience has run out. My 40-year home was destroyed in 40 minutes."
On the first anniversary of the fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu Kartalkaya, which claimed the lives of 78 people and injured 133, the victims were commemorated in a program held in the city center. Lawyer Yüksel Gültekin, who lost 8 relatives, including his children and grandchildren, in the fire, stated that despite expert reports indicating that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism was primarily responsible for the incident, the investigation has not progressed.
"THE MINISTER OF TOURISM HAS BEEN IN OFFICE FOR A YEAR"
Speaking at a press conference after the program, Yüksel Gültekin began his remarks by saying, "On January 21, 2025, in what we call a murder in Bolu Kartalkaya, I lost 8 of my children, may God accept them as martyrs, along with all 78 souls. I am a father who buried 8 martyrs."
Gültekin reacted to the fact that officials from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, who were identified as responsible for the incident, have not been removed from their positions, saying, "Turkey is a rule of law. We want Turkey to be a rule of law. Look, a full year has passed since this incident. Immediately after the incident, the expert report prepared by the prosecutor clearly indicated that one of the primary responsible parties, perhaps the most important one, is the Ministry of Tourism. The Minister of Tourism has been in office for a year. We have been silent, we have been patient. The state is in a difficult situation; we say there are things we do not know. But our patience has run out."
"MY 40-YEAR HOME DISAPPEARED IN 40 MINUTES"
Gültekin stated, "While the budget of the Ministry of Tourism was being discussed, not a single one of you came to the podium and said, 'You are responsible, resign, let the responsible ones be prosecuted.' This life is fleeting. My 40-year home disappeared in 40 minutes. Ultimately, these seats will go. Why are you silent? You come to me behind closed doors and say, 'Everything will be done, the responsible will be punished.' For a year, this Minister of Tourism has been wandering around recklessly, immorally, mercilessly, and without conscience. As long as I live, the hands of these 78 souls are on my neck."
“Do you think our pain will end, the incident will cool down, and we will give up? There is no such thing. I visit the graves of my 8 children both in the morning and in the evening. I have not missed a single day for a year. I will not forgive you, neither in this world nor the next,” he reacted.
Recalling the words of Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, who said a day after the fire, 'The Ministry has no fault or negligence,' Gültekin said:
"I was curious why he was protecting his staff. It turns out they have taken over the Ministry of Tourism. At the head of the network is Neşe Çıldık, the General Director of Investment and Enterprises and an employee of ETS. She has placed her entire family. This person was previously the manager responsible for vehicles. After working at ETS for 12 years, she comes with the Minister of Tourism. As soon as she arrives, she starts to hand over state land to the Minister of Tourism as the general director responsible for investments. We are investigating these matters, and we will uncover them one by one.
Our patience has run out. How can they remain there for a year in a rule of law? I am telling you something even more serious; they are sending fake documents to the court. We have filed a criminal complaint. The situation is this dire. We, the owners of 78 souls, are always on their trail, on their necks."
"THE COURT MADE A STRIKING DECISION"
Referring to the court's decision, Gültekin said, "It made a striking decision. I want to thank all the judges. I want to thank them for making a just decision. The prosecution took the decision to the appellate court, and there was an uproar. Do not worry, there will be no uproar. With God's permission, we know that there are brave and conscientious judges in the Appellate Court in Adapazarı as well. Do not worry. Receiving a lighter sentence aside, the personnel of the provincial special administration, who are being tried for simple negligence, will also be tried for possible intent. Do not worry. Just support us. Enough, let us continue our determination for unity and togetherness as grieving families," he said.
"WE WILL NOT LET OUR CHILDREN'S BLOOD GO UNAVENGED"
Gültekin stated, "I believe with all my heart that justice will prevail. For the realization of justice, we, 78 families, along with our lawyers, are doing our best. If we have life, we will be here every year on January 21. We will not let our children's blood go unavenged. Let Turkey be a rule of law now. Let this be a cleansing. Our lives have been lost, but let no more lives be lost," he concluded.
"THIS PROCESS WAS ACTUALLY A STRUGGLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL"
Abdurrahman Gençbay, the President of the 9th Chamber of the Council of State, who lost his son Yiğit Gençbay, who went back into the hotel to rescue those trapped after initially escaping, said, "This process was actually a struggle between good and evil. This process was a struggle between the oppressors and the oppressed. This process was a struggle between those who look down on this society and this oppressed nation."
"THE REPORT STATED THAT THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM WAS RESPONSIBLE"
"I could not bury my child by kissing and hugging him. I could not look at his face. Because they had identified my child through DNA testing," Gençbay expressed.
"None of the relatives of a single business owner, operator, or any personnel there suffered any harm to their lives or well-being. This could not be a coincidence.
The expert report prepared by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which I consider to be the most comprehensive expert report published and written to date, stated that the Ministry of Tourism, which is primarily responsible for the inspection of these tourism businesses, was primarily effective in the occurrence of the incident due to its failure to fulfill its inspection and oversight responsibilities. However, on the very first day, the Minister of Tourism went around television channels trying to convince 84 million people that no personnel from the Ministry of Tourism was responsible, as if he were a criminal lawyer or an administrative lawyer.
In fact, beyond this persuasion, it was an attitude aimed at influencing the judiciary, affecting the effective investigation, and negatively impacting it, which I consider to be a constitutional crime. The account for these will certainly be asked in the future. We have never forgotten these, and we will not forget.
After this process continued like this, a very beautiful, fair, and truly grounded decision that resonates with the conscience of society emerged, proclaiming to the whole world that there are judges in Bolu, that there are judges in Turkey. This decision, made on October 30, was applauded by all segments of society. This decision found its place in the conscience of society. 11 people were sentenced for possible intent. Over 30 defendants were convicted here for various crimes.
"THEY SHOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED THESE PEOPLE"
Gençbay stated that they had lifted the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's two decisions not to grant investigation permission by applying to the Council of State, saying, "After the investigation permission granted to these public officials, a ministry that is expected to act in accordance with the law should be expected to do this.
The person at the head of the ministry stated that the act for which the investigation permission was granted also requires an administrative investigation, and that the Inspection Board should have been activated immediately to open an investigation against those responsible and to suspend these individuals for the sake of the integrity of the judicial and administrative investigation. However, they preferred to remain silent.
We also ask the prosecutor's office. Oh our prosecutor's office, in the expert report, it is stated that the Ministry of Tourism, which is primarily responsible for the occurrence of this incident, has officials responsible for supervising these businesses, and these have been identified. What is the reason for not determining the same method in the investigation of these individuals? What is the legal justification for your silence in this way? It is necessary for these individuals, who are sitting on the evidence, to be immediately referred to detention and for the integrity of the investigation to be clarified in this way," he said.
"THE SEEDS OF ORGANIZED EVIL WERE SOWN 40 YEARS AGO"
Addressing the Bolu Municipality, Gençbay said, "The seeds of this organized evil were sown 40 years ago. I am naming names; they were sown by Mazhar Murtezaoğlu. The evil seed he planted burned 78 of our lives in 2025. We want the street named after this person to be changed to the names of our lost ones," he said.
"THANK GOODNESS THERE IS JUSTICE"
Gençbay concluded his remarks by saying, "When we end our exile in this world and reunite with our children, hopefully, we will return to our days. I wish mercy upon them and patience to the grieving families. I say thank goodness there is justice in the justice we hold on to. Thank goodness there is justice, thank goodness there are judges in Turkey, thank goodness there are judges in Bolu."