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Turkish corruption scandal: three ministers quit Turkish corruption scandal: three ministers quit
(about 1 hour later)
Three Turkish cabinet members have resigned over the country's escalating corruption scandal.Three Turkish cabinet members have resigned over the country's escalating corruption scandal.
One of them, environment minister Erdogan Bayraktar, urged a defiant prime minister Tayyip Erdogan to follow suit. The resignations add to a week-old crisis which has pitted Erdogan against the judiciary and reignited anti-government sentiment simmering since mass street-protests in Istanbul and other cities in the summer. One of them, environment minister Erdogan Bayraktar, urged prime minister Tayyip Erdogan to follow suit. However, a defiant Erdogan, who has held power for 11 years, announced a cabinet reshuffle, appointing 10 new ministers to replace the three who quit and others planning mayoral runs in local elections in March.
The resignations add to a week-old crisis which has pitted Erdogan against the judiciary and reignited anti-government sentiment simmering since mass street-protests in Istanbul and other cities in the summer.
The resigning interior, economy and environment ministers each had a son detained on 17 December when police went public with a long-running investigation into graft allegations involving state-run lender Halkbank. Two of the sons remain in custody along with 22 others, including the head of the bank.The resigning interior, economy and environment ministers each had a son detained on 17 December when police went public with a long-running investigation into graft allegations involving state-run lender Halkbank. Two of the sons remain in custody along with 22 others, including the head of the bank.
Two ministers echoed Erdogan in depicting the inquiry as baseless and a conspiracy, but Bayraktar told NTV news: "For the sake of the wellbeing of this nation and country, I believe the prime minister should resign."Two ministers echoed Erdogan in depicting the inquiry as baseless and a conspiracy, but Bayraktar told NTV news: "For the sake of the wellbeing of this nation and country, I believe the prime minister should resign."
Koray Caliskan, an associate professor at Istanbul's Bogazici University, said: "These are very late and difficult resignations. They don't have any value in terms of democracy."Koray Caliskan, an associate professor at Istanbul's Bogazici University, said: "These are very late and difficult resignations. They don't have any value in terms of democracy."
Sources in Erdogan's office said he might replace as many as nine ministers, including the three who quit, as several cabinet members plan mayoral runs in local elections in March. He has already given new cabinet names to President Abdullah Gul for approval, the sources said.
Erdogan responded to the 17 December arrests by sacking or moving about 70 of the police officers involved, arguing that their work had been deeply tainted.Erdogan responded to the 17 December arrests by sacking or moving about 70 of the police officers involved, arguing that their work had been deeply tainted.
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