Ankara under criticism for scrapping Turkish Aeronautical Association planes amid wildfires

Turkish government has come under fire for its decision to scrap the planes of the Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK) amid urgent need for firefighting vehicles to combat wildfires in its southwestern region.

Turkey has been able to deploy only three firefighting planes since the beginning of the wildfires, which has caused criticism from opposition politicians and social media users. Two of those planes have been leased from Russia.

Some government critics point out the government withholds the THK whose planes had been used in firefighting for decades, from firefighting efforts.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday said that Turkey does not have its own firefighting planes and accused the THK of not maintaining planes in good shape.

“They are making up things. The THK does not have any planes to fly here comfortably,” Erdoğan dismissed the criticism against his administration.

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli had said the THK planes were too old and not useable.

Furthermore, Parliamentary Agriculture, Forestry Commission Chairman Yunus, Kılıç, a member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), responded to the criticism that THK planes were not used in firefighting efforts.

Kılıç said that THK firefighting planes are unusable and have a low service quality.

“Each year, the Ministry of Agriculture announces a service procurement tender and receives a much cheaper service with high manoeuvrable vehicles and helicopters better than the THK planes.

However, experts and former administrators of the THK underline that THK planes are operational and suitable to combat wildfires and blame the government for leaving the THK planes lying around idly in hangars.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmaker Alpay Antmen has revealed that the planes coming from Croatia to contain the ongoing forest fires in Turkey and the THK’s planes that were “put in the scrap heap” are the same model of aircrafts.

Moreover, Journalist Tuncay Mollaveisoğlu maintained that “Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry languished the THK’s planes in hangars to privatise firefighting in an attempt to afford financial advantage for its loyal tycoons.