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EU PROBES CORRUPTION CLAIMS AT TURKISH GOV'T AGENCY
13:53 â~@¢ 05.03.14
The European Commission has launched an investigation into allegations
that a Turkish government agency misused EU funds, the Hurriyet Daily
News reports.
The probe follows reports in Turkish media of tender-rigging and
illegal recruitment at the Centre for EU Education and Youth Programs
in Ankara under former EU minister Egemen BagıÅ~_.
"The audit follows allegations of irregularities relating to a lack
of transparency for staff recruitment and a lack of compliance with
EU and national rules for procurement by the national agency," the
Commission's education spokesman Dennis Abbott told AFP in an emailed
statement March 5.
BagıÅ~_ was replaced as EU minister after he was implicated in a
major government corruption scandal that has set off the worst crisis
in Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's 11-year rule.
Dozens of Erdogan's key business and political allies were rounded
up in December over allegations of bribery in construction projects,
money laundering, gold smuggling and illicit dealings with Iran.
Turkey's interior, economy and environment ministers all resigned
from their posts after their sons were detained. The controversy has
since widened to implicate Erdogan himself, after recordings were
leaked online last week in which the premier can allegedly be heard
discussing with his son hiding large sums of cash and conspiring to
extort a bribe from a business associate.
The premier has accused supporters of self-exiled Islamic scholar
Fethullah Gulen, who wields considerable influence in the judiciary
and police, of launching the corruption probe to destabilize his
government ahead of key local elections on March 30 and presidential
elections in August.
Erdogan retaliated by sacking hundreds of police and prosecutors
believed to be linked to Gulen, who denied any involvement in the
scandal.
Armenian News - Tert.am
13:53 â~@¢ 05.03.14
The European Commission has launched an investigation into allegations
that a Turkish government agency misused EU funds, the Hurriyet Daily
News reports.
The probe follows reports in Turkish media of tender-rigging and
illegal recruitment at the Centre for EU Education and Youth Programs
in Ankara under former EU minister Egemen BagıÅ~_.
"The audit follows allegations of irregularities relating to a lack
of transparency for staff recruitment and a lack of compliance with
EU and national rules for procurement by the national agency," the
Commission's education spokesman Dennis Abbott told AFP in an emailed
statement March 5.
BagıÅ~_ was replaced as EU minister after he was implicated in a
major government corruption scandal that has set off the worst crisis
in Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's 11-year rule.
Dozens of Erdogan's key business and political allies were rounded
up in December over allegations of bribery in construction projects,
money laundering, gold smuggling and illicit dealings with Iran.
Turkey's interior, economy and environment ministers all resigned
from their posts after their sons were detained. The controversy has
since widened to implicate Erdogan himself, after recordings were
leaked online last week in which the premier can allegedly be heard
discussing with his son hiding large sums of cash and conspiring to
extort a bribe from a business associate.
The premier has accused supporters of self-exiled Islamic scholar
Fethullah Gulen, who wields considerable influence in the judiciary
and police, of launching the corruption probe to destabilize his
government ahead of key local elections on March 30 and presidential
elections in August.
Erdogan retaliated by sacking hundreds of police and prosecutors
believed to be linked to Gulen, who denied any involvement in the
scandal.
Armenian News - Tert.am