Special to WorldTribune.com

ANKARA — Turkey has amended its defense tenders that would allow the government of Prime Minister Recep Erdogan to favor state-owned companies over their private counterparts.

The Cabinet has approved regulations that change military procurement tenders issued by the Defense Ministry.

Under the revision, disclosed in December 2013, the ministry could decide to select a sole bidder rather than insist on competing offers.

“In certain areas, we don’t have multiple companies that develop the same product or technology,” a Turkish source said. “Therefore, the only option until now was to bring in foreign companies, which we prefer not to do.”

The decision revises Article 10 of the Public Tender Law that would enable the selection of a sole bidder deemed to meet the requirements of the ministry’s Defense Industry Undersecretariat. The decree also approved the drafting of an unspecified new contract for research and development.

Critics said the revision would strengthen Erdogan’s resolve to punish companies seen as opposing either him or his government. Over the last year, Erdogan has canceled or delayed projects expected to be awarded to defense firms of Koch Holdings, the largest company in Turkey.

The European Union has criticized Turkey for its lack of transparency in defense procurement and projects.

An EU report also asserted that the Defense Ministry, which oversees the largest army in Europe, withheld budget information in violation of Brussels’ standards.

  Koch Holdings, Public Tender Law, Recep Erdogan, Turkey’s Erdogan assume new powers critics say he could use to punish political foes