Turkish opposition furious at Qatari purchase of national assets

"Only Turkey's ownership proof has not been sold to the Qataris yet," the Turkish opposition Republican People's Party wrote in rejection of deals signed during the latest visit to Turkey by Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad.

A party MP criticized the Turkish government for what he described as its poor management of Turkish interests, especially in the light of Qatar's recent partnership in the Istanbul Stock Market.

The MP raised questions about how the Qataris won the deal and whether anybody else is party to it.

"Have you thought of Turkey's interests upon completing this operation?" the MP asked the members of the Turkish government.

He likened relations between his country and Qatar to relations between mafia members.

The MP said his party and other opposition parties would stand against the latest Qatari partnership in the Istanbul Stock Market.

He said Qatar presented a passenger plane worth $450 million to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a gift. He added that the Turkish president and the Qatari emir meet each other and hammer out deals.

The MP talked about a large number of Turkish companies that are now in the hands of the citizens of other countries.

He revealed that over the past 18 years, the ownership of 80% of Turkish state-owned companies was transferred to foreigners.

Opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu also criticized the decision of the Turkish government to sell the Istanbul Stock Exchange for Qatar.

He said Qatar could have bought stocks in the Turkish bourse, not buy the bourse altogether.