Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 19
Trend:
Two Turkish ministers accused of receiving huge bribes of around 110 million Turkish liras, Zaman newspaper reported.
According to the claim of the General Prosecutor of Turkey, EU Affairs Minister Egemen Bağış received a bribe of around 3 million Turkish liras from a businessman Rza Zerrab.
According to another claim, R.Zerrab illegally transported 1.5 tons of gold from Ghana to Turkey, with the support of the Halkbank. Due to the lawsuit, the Minister of Economy of Turkey Zafer Caglayan facilitated this deal between a businessman R.Zerrab and the CEO of the Halkbank Suleyman Aslan. Caglayan is accused of receiving bribes in the amount of about 106 million Turkish liras for his illegal actions.
Turkish police have recently conducted special operations in Istanbul and Ankara, resulting in the arrest of 52 people that includes businessmen and sons of some ministers.
The businessmen are accused of corruption, smuggling and selling drugs.
The sons of Interior Minister Muammer Guler - Baris Guler, Minister of Economy Zafer Caglayan - Salih Kaan Caglayan, and Minister of Environment and Urban Planning Erdogan Bayraktar - Oguz Bayraktar are said to be among those arrested. All three were detained on suspicion of corruption.
The ministers are the members of the Turkish ruling party.
Mayor of Istanbul's Fatih Municipality, Mustafa Demir, director general of Turkish Halkbank Suleyman Aslan and famous entrepreneur Ali Agaoglu were arrested during the same operation by police. Searches were conducted at Halkbank's office.