BELTUR (Büyük İstanbul Eğitim Turizm ve Sağlık Yatırımları İşletme ve Ticaret - English: ''Great Istanbul Education Tourism and Health Investments Management and Trade'') is a Turkish company that operates cafes in hospitals and tourist locations.
In 2020, the Turkish Ministry of Health did not renew their contract with BELTUR (leading to the closure of 62 cafes) and the company was investigated for alleged tax evasion.
History
BELTUR started running buffets in Turkish state hospitals in December 2013.
The company temporarily closed down most of its locations in 2020 in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. On 8 June 2020, these were opened again.
In July 2020, 62 locations in 46 state hospitals were closed again after the
Ministry of Health decided to not renew their contract with the company, with the ministry citing that BELTUR wasn't paying rent.
Criticism and controversy
In October 2020, the
Ministry of Treasury and Finance launched an investigation against the company, after BELTUR was suspected with being involved in tax evasion.
In September 2021, BELTUR was criticized by pro-government newspaper
Akşam
''Akşam'' (''Evening'') is a Turkish newspaper founded in 1918, owned by Zeki Yeşildağ's Türk Medya Grup (T Medya Yatırım San. ve Tic. AŞ.) since 2013. In 2013 it had a circulation of around 100,000.
History
''Akşams founders in 1918 incl ...
for having "exorbitant prices".
References
{{Reflist
Companies established in 1997
Companies based in Istanbul