Turkish President Sacks Trade Minister Accused of Nepotism

Outgoing Turkish Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan. Photo: Turkish Trade Ministry

"The company was preferred due to its low price and the need to obtain those products because of the pandemic," the ministry said on April 20. It also insisted that purchases from the company were worth only 51,000 euros and were carried out in line with relevant regulations and the law.

Opposition parties claim the company sold goods to the state worth nearly a million euros.

The company at the centre of the issue, Karon Engineering and Trade Company, is known for engineering projects and had no known business supplying medical goods before the sales to the Trade Ministry.

Outgoing Minister Pekcan has been silent about the issue since it was revealed.

In his presidential decree, President Erdogan also split the Family, Labour and Social Policies Ministry into two, He appointed Derya Yanık as Family and Social Policies Minister and Vedat Bilgin as the Labour and Social Security Minister, replacing Zehra Zumrut Selcuk.

Erdogan's cabinet changes have been long awaited. However, the changes were limited, defying expectations of a wider reshuffle.

Among others, the Ministers of Health and Education were expected to be replaced because of the country's poor handling of the pandemic, Instead, the Turkish strongman decided to keep them.