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Istanbul, The conference room is fully decorated in blue, white and gold. On two floors there are rooms, a hospital and a lobby. And everything can fly – in the midst of the Turkish financial crisis, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has acquired a new Boeing 747-8 luxury aircraft. The jumbo jet was a gift from the emirate of the Gulf of Qatar, Erdoğan said. The opposition does not believe it.
Under the former Erdoğan service plane, among other things, a Type 340 Airbus long-haul aircraft, formerly owned by Tunisian dictator Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. But none of the jets can compete with Qatar's newcomer. Originally, the Jumbo could accommodate up to 467 pbadengers, but the conversion to the taste of the ruling family in the Gulf has reduced the number of seats to 76. Pbadengers have plenty of room and are supported by 18 crew members. The emir of Qatar has put the plane up for sale, the British Daily Mail reported in August. The price stands at the equivalent of 560 million euros.
Qatar wants to invest
Erdoğan has now confirmed in talks with Turkish journalists that his government had shown interest in buying the luxury aviator. But when the Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, heard about it, the sale had become a gift. "I do not take money from Turkey," said the Emir, according to Erdoğan. Turkey and Qatar are close allies. Erdoğan had helped the emirate in the conflict with Saudi Arabia last year. Recently, the Emir fought back by announcing a $ 15 billion investment in the struggling Turkish economy.
The opposition newspaper "Sözcü" has speculated that, in exchange for the jet, Turkish Airlines shares could go to Qatar. (GUS)
("Die Presse", printed edition, 18.09.2018)
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