- Title: TURKEY: Third Turkish minister resigns over corruption investigation
- Date: 25th December 2013
- Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (DECEMBER 24, 2013) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) MINISTER OF EUROPEAN UNION AFFAIRS EGEMEN BAGIS SALUTING THE CROWD WITH TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TAYYIP ERDOGAN AND OTHER MINISTERS BAGIS CHANTING WITH CROWD: "PEOPLE SUPPORT US" ERDOGAN WAVING AT CROWD BAGIS AND RESIGNING ENVIRONMENT MINISTER ERDOGAN BAYRAKTAR BAYRAKTAR ERDOGAN WITH RESIGNING ECONOMY MINISTER ZAFE
- Embargoed: 9th January 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Turkey
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Crime,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVADCBUTSC2CQRKSCQTIKVJ2XVBE
- Story Text: Turkish Environment and Urbanisation Minister Erdogan Bayraktar resigned over a high-level corruption probe on Wednesday (December 25), becoming the third cabinet member to do so. Bayraktar announced his resignation on NTV news channel.
Bayraktar's son was briefly detained in the graft probe.
Interior Minister Muammer Guler and Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan, whose sons are among 24 people in police custody since the affair erupted on Dec. 17, resigned earlier on Wednesday. They denied any wrongdoing by their sons or the government.
The investigation has pitted the government against the judiciary and rattled foreign investors. Neither minister has been implicated and both say their sons are innocent.
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has responded to the investigation by purging police officers involved, including the chief of the force in Istanbul, Halkbank's headquarters.
The Erdogan government portrays the scandal as a foreign-orchestrated effort to sow discord in Turkey. The country has flourished economically during the Islamist-rooted premier's three terms, though he has been accused of authoritarianism. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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