Tek Gida-Is, the Union of Tobacco, Alcoholic Beverage, Food and Related Industry Workers of Turkey, has gone to court to seek the annulment of the sale of state-owned tobacco company, Tekel, to British American Tobacco (BAT).

The suit, which seeks the suspension of the sale process and the cancellation of the tender commission's decision, was filed at Turkey's top administrative court, the Council of State. "We seek the annulment of the decision by the tender commission from 22 February," said Gokhan Candogan, lawyer for Tek Gida-Is, arguing that the sale tender was "clearly contrary to the law."
BAT, the world's second-largest cigarette group, won the auction for Tekel on 22 February, outbidding three Turkish rivals with a bid of USD 1.72 billion in a deal that would increase its market share fivefold. (pi)