Turkish corruption probe hurts foreign relations
Following its corruption scandal, Turkey's relations with Arab states, the United States and Europe have undoubtedly been affected, though no immediate foreign crisis has arisen.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is faced with a crisis that could scuttle his political career at the very moment he felt himself to be politically invincible. He has been left now with little choice but to concentrate all of his energies on trying to bolster his government’s credibility at home at a time when critical local elections are around the corner. Diplomats in Ankara are also wondering how all this will affect Ankara’s foreign policy goals.
The massive corruption scandal, involving tens of millions of dollars, which has implicated four key ministers — all of whom have lost their jobs — is moving in a direction that could also involve members of Erdogan’s family, particularly his son Bilal whose name has started being bandied around in the press.
The damning press statement by Muammer Akkas, the investigating prosecutor, on Dec. 26, in which he said the case had been taken away from him after he issued warrants for a second wave of arrests in the corruption probe, has made matters worse for Erdogan. Many suspect the government used its influence to take the case from Akkas to prevent the investigation going further and reaching members of Erdogan’s family.
Meanwhile, three ministers under suspicion have been forced by Erdogan to resign. One of them, Urban Planning and Environment Minister Erdogan Bayraktar did so, however, only after implicating Erdogan and calling on him to resign also. EU Minister Egemen Bagis, the fourth minister under suspicion who refused to resign, was dismissed in Erdogan’s cabinet reshuffle of Dec. 26, which saw 10 ministers changed.
