26/12/2013 11:08
Defiant Turkish PM Erdogan in major reshuffle
Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced a major cabinet reshuffle after three ministerial resignations over a corruption inquiry, the BBC reported.
Mr Erdogan named 10 new ministers - almost half of his total roster - after talks with President Abdullah Gul.
One of those who quit, Environment Minister Erdogan Bayraktar, had urged Mr Erdogan to step down himself.
Police are investigating allegations of illicit money transfers to Iran and bribery for construction projects.
Mr Bayraktar, Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan and Interior Minister Muammer Guler quit after their sons were taken into custody.
All three deny any wrongdoing.
In Istanbul, protesters held a street rally against corruption in the government. There were reports of clashes with riot police late on Wednesday evening.
Mr Erdogan submitted the new cabinet line-up to President Gul late on Wednesday.
Among those who lost his job was EU Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis.
He is accused of being involved in the corruption scandal - but has not been detained or formally charged.
Mr Bayraktar earlier urged the prime minister to resign too.
He insisted that "a great proportion" of construction projects that were under investigation were approved by the prime minister himself, adding: "I want to express my belief that the esteemed prime minister should also resign."
But Mr Erdogan has described the police investigation as a "dirty game". He said it was a plot by foreign and Turkish forces to discredit his government ahead of local elections in March.
But in a further blow to Mr Erdogan, MP and former interior minister Idris Naim Sahin said he was resigning from the ruling AK Party.