Former PM Yıldırım refutes claims on social media

ANKARA

Former Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has dismissed allegations leveled against his son by a convicted gang leader, labelling claims as “flat-out lies and slander.”

Convicted crime boss Sedat Peker claimed that Yıldırım’s son, Erkam Yıldırım, traveled to Venezuela to make arrangements regarding drug trafficking.

“I strongly reject those claims and it would be a great insult against us to mention our names with drugs,” Binali Yıldırım told reporters on May 23.

“Those claims are absolutely lies, smears and slander,” he added.

Yıldırım acknowledged that his son traveled to Venezuela in December 2020, not early this year as the crime boss alleged.

“The purpose of his visit was to support efforts there against COVID-19. He brought along medical equipment, such as face masks, and distributed them in Venezuela,” Yıldırım said.

He also noted that since there were elections during that time in the country, members of the Turkish Friendship Group were also there but he was not part of the official mission.

“He [Erkam Yıldırım] made this visit at his own capacity, he bought his own ticket and met other travel expenses,” Yıldırım added.