Wednesday

7th Jun 2023

Turkish government in crisis over corruption scandal

  • Calls for Erdogan to step down are intensifying (Photo: Fortum Sverige)

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reshuffled almost half of the entire cabinet - 10 ministers - in a bid to stave off calls that he should resign over a corruption scandal.

One of the ministers who lost his job is Egemen Bagis, the EU affairs minister and chief negotiator for Turkey's EU membership.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

The move comes amid an ongoing police investigation into allegations of illicit money transfers to Iran and government officials having taken bribes for construction projects.

The sons of three ministers, as well as the head of the state-run bank Halkbank, are among 24 people who have been arrested on bribery charges, after police found millions of US dollars stashed in shoe boxes.

Protests were held in Istanbul demanding Erdogan's resignation and local media reported there were clashes with riot police Wednesday evening (25 December).

Another minister who quit, Erdogan Bayraktar, said the prime minister himself had approved many of the disputed construction projects.

"I want to express my belief that the esteemed prime minister should also resign," the outgoing environment minister said.

But Erdogan said the probe is a "dirty game" aimed at destabilising the country ahead of local elections in March.

His government appears to want to stop the investigation, with an Istanbul prosecutor on Thursday saying he had been removed from the case.

The prosecutor, Muammar Akkas, accused the government of using loyal policemen to block the execution of court orders.

"A crime has been committed throughout the chain of command.... Suspects have been allowed to take precautions, flee and tamper with the evidence," he said in a statement.

Chief prosecutor Turan Colakkadi said Akkas was removed from the investigation because he didn't report to his superiors - a new provision adopted by the government last week.

The European Parliament's Social-Democratic leader Hannes Swoboda urged the Turkish government to "show determination" in the fight against corruption and stop sacking prosecutors.

"This is Mr Erdogan's last chance to show that he wants to fight – and not cover up – corruption," Swoboda said.

Opinion

How the EU's money for waste went to waste in Lebanon

The EU led support for the waste management crisis in Lebanon, spending around €89m between 2004-2017, with at least €30m spent on 16 solid-waste management facilities. However, it failed to deliver.

Latest News

  1. Israeli settlers encircling Jerusalem, EU envoys warn
  2. No clear 'Qatargate effect' — but only half voters aware of EU election
  3. Part of EU middle class 'being squeezed out', MEP warns
  4. Migration commissioner: Greek pushback film 'clear deportation'
  5. In 2024, Europe's voters need to pick a better crop of MEPs
  6. ECB president grilled over €135bn interest payout to commercial banks
  7. EU political ads rules could be 'hotbed for retaliatory flagging'
  8. Final steps for EU's due diligence on supply chains law

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  2. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  3. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics
  6. EFBWWEFBWW calls for the EC to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us