Ankara: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reshuffled his Cabinet after three ministers resigned due to corruption probe.
The reshuffle was decided in a closed-door meeting with President Abdullah Gul, who had said since Tuesday that it was imminent.
Erdogan named new Economy, Environment and Interior Ministers to replace the officials who had resigned. He also replaced European Union Minister Egemen Bagis, who has been accused of involvement in the corruption scandal, but had not resigned.
Three Cabinet Ministers resigned on Wednesday, following a high-level corruption investigation in which their sons, businessmen and bureaucrats were arrested.
Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan spoke of a conspiracy against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), and Interior Minister Muammer Guler said he had offered to resign on December 17, 2013 the day of the arrests.
The case is one of the largest-ever judicial probes into government corruption in Turkey. The investigation has centered on the alleged laundering of money from Iran to circumvent international sanctions on Tehran.
There are also allegations of bribery in the awarding of state contracts for land development.
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