He is also a prominent local member of the Democratic Left party of the prime minister, Bulent Ecevit. Mr Gulyas angrily denies any suggestion of a conflict of interest. There are engineers, technical men, controllers. I can't control everybody or everything. Not everything is the fault of the contractors, you know.
Earthquakes also have an impact.
One Turkish newspaper estimated that 550 out of 600 blocks built by Mr Gocer around Yalova and Cinarcik collapsed. The town hall didn't control it. Lax planning rules in Yalova allowed a large development to go ahead at Hacimehmet Ovasi along swampy ground next to a river. The holiday homes, with their plaster ballustrades on high-rise verandas, were built close together. In Yalova yesterday the rubble was still being raked over by mechanical excavators.