(Washington, D.C.) — The Turkish Democracy Project (TDP) has called on Hewlett Packard Enterprise, the American multinational information technology company, to immediately review its business ties with the Turkish logistics and construction industries, which are notoriously compromised by corruption and manipulated by the Turkish government to serve its personal interests.
In Fall 2021, TDP initiated a campaign investigating international companies with links to corrupt Turkish construction firms and dubious government sponsored projects. TDP’s research has found that Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) was recently chosen by Turkey’s top manufacturer, Nom Holding, to drive growth and improve its IT environment. Nom Holding is a top 500 company in Turkey which serves electrical goods, machinery and construction industries both in Turkey and abroad.
Turkish democracy has undergone a steady erosion under President Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), with no branch of government or sector of the economy escaping the regime’s tightening grip. A group of oligarchs, dubbed the gang of five by the media, have been awarded billion-dollars worth of non-competitive tenders, in violation of the country’s public procurement law and at the expense of Turkey’s economic and environmental welfare. These rigged tenders have guaranteed the enrichment of Erdogan’s close business allies who, in turn, have provided the president with the necessary resources to expand his control over Turkish society.
Turkish President Most recently Recep Erdogan recently revealed his ‘Transport and Logistics Master Plan’ for 2053, with hopes of turning Turkey into a logistics superpower of vast geography. However, the Turkish logistics sector has been deemed one of the most corrupt sectors in Turkey.
Having identified extensive legal and ethical risks in HPE’s business interests in Turkey, TDP sent a letter to HPE’s CEO Antonio Neri on May 30, 2022.
Commenting on HPE’s lack of response, Ambassador Mark Wallace, CEO of the Turkish Democracy Project, said:
“We urge HPE to examine all associations with the Turkish construction sector due to the extremely high risk of corruption and undue influence from the Turkish government. Erdogan has embroiled this industry in abuse of power and human rights violations, using it to defraud the Turkish people. Associating with the Turkish regime is at complete odds with HPE’s promoted ethical and anti-corruption standards.”
