The Competition Authority imposed a 1.3 billion Turkish lira administrative fine on BIM for obstructing the on-site inspection conducted by agency experts. According to the Competition Authority’s statement, during the on-site inspection at BIM’s headquarters on January 14, it was determined that a BIM manager had deleted data.

The Competition Authority fined BIM 1.3 billion Turkish lira.

The statement highlighted the importance of using the on-site inspection authority efficiently and effectively in establishing competition, stating that this authority is crucial in determining whether the law has been violated. It was emphasized that if the on-site inspection is obstructed or hindered, the relevant company will be subject to an administrative fine of one thousandth of its turnover. The statement also mentioned that on-site inspections are meticulously carried out by the Competition Authority using state-of-the-art devices. The inspections only cover business-related elements, and no personal or private data is accessed in any way. These data are excluded from the scope of the inspection. To ensure that the enterprises undergoing the on-site inspection do not face the aforementioned administrative fine, all employees at all levels of the company are required to refrain from deleting any data from any device they use for work as soon as the on-site inspection begins.

The statement warned that if this is violated, it can be easily detected by the Agency personnel using sophisticated devices, stating:

“Indeed, during the on-site inspection conducted at BIM’s headquarters on January 14, it was identified by agency experts that a BIM manager had deleted data after the investigation had commenced, leading to a ruling on February 6 by the Board that the on-site inspection was obstructed and hindered, resulting in an imposition of an approximate 1.3 billion Turkish lira administrative fine on BIM.”