(Washington, D.C.) — The Turkish Democracy Project (TDP) has called on Framaco International, an American construction management company, to urgently clarify its dealings with the Turkish construction industry, which has been instrumental in expanding the corrupt reach of President Erdogan’s regime.
In Fall 2021, TDP initiated a campaign investigating international companies with links to corrupt Turkish construction firms and dubious government sponsored projects.
Under Erdogan and his ruling AKP party, almost no branch of government nor sector of the economy has remained free from the executive’s corrupt meddling. The construction sector has been particularly affected by the regime’s kleptocratic practices. By awarding non-competitive tenders to his close associates, President Erdogan has guaranteed the gross enrichment of a small circle of oligarchs at the expense of the country’s economic and environmental welfare. In turn, these same oligarchs have provided Erdogan with the resources he needs to continue cementing his control over every aspect of Turkish society.
TDP’s research has found that Framaco International (Framaco) maintains significant business dealings with controversial Turkish construction companies. Framaco has “full scale regional operations” with offices in Istanbul and Ankara and is a partner of Turkish company Feka Construction, one of the top 250 contractors in the world.
Having identified the risks to Framaco’s presence in Turkey and its association with the construction industry, TDP sent a letter on December 9, 2021 to the firm’s President, Paul Kacha, urging Framaco to conduct a thorough investigation into its association with Feka Construction.
Commenting on Framaco’s lack of response, Ambassador Mark Wallace, CEO of the Turkish Democracy Project, said:
“We urge Framaco to undertake an immediate review of its association with Feka Construction and the Turkish construction sector more generally. Erdogan has embroiled the industry in corruption, abuses of power, and human rights violations. Framaco should understand the legal, reputational, commercial, and financial risks of doing business with companies which do not align with Framaco’s ethical and anti-corruption standards”.
