Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 27
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Turkish armed forces do not interfere in recent political events in the country, the General Staff of the country said today.
According to the information, the Turkish Armed Forces are carefully observing events in the country.
Turkish police conducted special operations in Istanbul and Ankara on Dec.17, resulting in the arrest of 52 people that includes businessmen and sons of some ministers. The businessmen were accused of corruption, smuggling and selling drugs.
Among those detained were the sons of some ministers who were members of Turkey's ruling party - Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan's son, Salih Kaan Caglayan and Interior Minister Muammar Guler's son Baris Guler and Minister for Urban Development and Environment Erdogan Bayraktar's son Oguz Bayraktar. All three were detained on suspicion of corruption.
Mayor of Istanbul's Fatih Municipality, Mustafa Demir, director general of Turkish Halkbank Suleyman Aslan and well known entrepreneur Ali Agaoglu were arrested during the same operation by police. Searches were conducted at Halkbank's office.
Mustafa Demir and Ali Agaoglu were released on Dec.21.
After a meeting with Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the new cabinet of ministers.
Ankara's MP Emrullah İsler was appointed Deputy Prime Minister instead of Bekir Bozdag. In turn, the latter was appointed Minister of Justice.
MP from the ruling party Lutfi Elvan was appointed Minister of Transport, Shipping and Communications. Ayshenur Islam was appointed Minister for Family and Social Policy. Mevlut Cavusoglu will head the Ministry for EU Affairs.
Fikri Isik Bilim was appointed Minister for Science, Industry and Technology, while Gulluce Idris becomes Environmental and Urban Development Minister.
Akif Cagatay Kılıc was appointed Youth and Sports Ministry, Nihat Zeybekci - Economy Minister and, Efkan Ala is Interior Minister.