Turkey slams int'l watchdog report on money laundering

ANKARA-Anadolu Agency

The Turkish financial crimes unit slammed a global money laundering watchdog report against the country's money laundering efforts.

"Turkey's struggles weren't revealed in the report. [Turkey] was subjected to unfair assessment," Turkey's Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) officials told Anadolu Agency on Dec. 19 on a recent report by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

On Dec. 16, the FATF said Turkey should "swiftly" address "serious shortcomings" in combating money laundering and terrorist financing, with the country potentially being added to the watchdog's "grey list", if it failed to do so.

Underlining that Turkey had supported the FATF since 1991, the officials said the report revealed bad faith towards the country.

"It was formally notified to the FATF that the report is 'unacceptable'," they added.

MASAK carried this 'unjust and unacceptable' situation to the G20, the FATF's parent organization.

"We do not expect Turkey to enter the grey list. A mutual dialogue will return the process to a positive point," the officials added.