Two Turkish ministers resign over corruption probe

Updated: 2013-12-25 15:47

(Xinhua)

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Two Turkish ministers resign over corruption probe

Turkey's European Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis (L), Interior Minister Muammer Guler and Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan (R) chat as they wait for the arrival of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan at Esenboga Airport in Ankara December 24, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]


ANKARA - Turkey's Interior Minister Muammer Guler and Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan on Wednesday resigned for their sons' alleged involvement in a corruption network revealed by the country's largest ever bribery investigation, private Dogan news agency reported.

More than 80 high ranking officials and renowned businessmen, including sons of the two ministers, were detained and arrested in sweeping raids in the Turkish largest city of Istanbul and the Turkish capital of Ankara last week.

Thousands of protesters in Istanbul demanded the government resign, shouting: "We won't allow Istanbul to be finished by you," and "AKP (the ruling Justice and Development Party) will give its testimony to the people."

On December 17, Turkey was rocked by the country's largest ever bribery investigation, in which sons of four cabinet members were detained and a huge amount of money was seized by authorities in their houses.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan last Wednesday slammed the graft probe as a "dirty operation" with international links to undermine Turkey's growing economy.