He speaks of “smear campaign” and “conspiracy” – and yet Erdogan acknowledged now a surprise: Two secretly Recorded telephone conversations with his voice, which were published on the internet are genuine.

Many Turks have since the end of February a new hobby: You are sitting in the evening in front of the computer and wait for a new video on YouTube is published, can be heard on the secret phone recordings. Almost daily now invite anonymous government critic a new video up. On the recordings is always the voice of Recep Tayyip Erdogan listen to, sometimes talking to his son, sometimes with important personalities from politics and business. The records allow the Turkish Premier stand as a greedy, power-hungry politicians, the millions of dollars accumulates and leads with zeal feuds with his opponents.

Previously called Erdogan these publications as a ” smear campaign ” and ” conspiracy.” The records were ” nothing but immoral montages ” . On Wednesday, he admitted , however, a surprise that this week published telephone calls with his former Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin and with the Industrial Metin Kalkavan actually took place .

From his ministers he had asked to take care of a hard court judgment against the anti-government media mogul Aydin Dogan . Dogan, among which consolidated television and radio stations, newspapers , magazines and book publishers , had been accused of tax evasion, a court had acquitted him what Erdogan voiced his outrage .

Kalkavan , who is also president of the chamber of the ship’s economy, he urged , to protest against the award of the contract for the construction of warships over to a Koc Group company yard. From the conversation sounded out , he would ensure that the contract will be awarded new – this time to Kalkavan . Erdogan sees the industrialist Mustafa Koc than his opponent.

Turkey Erdogan Phone Recordings:Bull by the horns

Erdogan said in Ankara during a press conference that he had only acted to keep the state from harm. That conversation, which took place on specially secured phones were tapped and published , was an ” unprecedented scandal” . On the accusation that it were manipulated recordings , he recorded : In some places there were ” montages ” he said. Those who were behind the recordings and publications are ” weak character ,” he grumbled .

But essentially , he admitted to have made ​​the phone calls with Ergin and Kalkavan . In the case of Ergin , in the part of the government because of corruption affair 25 December 2013 lost his ministerial post , it was ” natural” was that he had arranged to review a case . ” Parallel structures ” in the state and ” dirty relations ” made ​​such a thing necessary. Thus, Erdogan said the network of the preacher Fethullah Gulen , with whom he provides for months in a bitter power struggle.

The fact that a previously agreed contract for the construction of six frigates undone and his friend Kalkavan was award to Erdogan was lawful. Through the reallocation he had the state ” hundreds of millions of dollars ” saved , and that was but his job as head of government. In addition, there are many tenders in Turkey , and because it may happen that a man be excluded from the application and then at him, the Premier , register . Where he advised always to appeal .

Turkey Erdogan Phone Recordings:It may further telephone recordings appear

On 30 March, municipal, of which have a ripple effect for the presidential election in August is expected. Since then might want to also take Erdogan. In the coming days so should other telephone recordings emerge, which must explain Erdogan.

Erdogan but appears to be sure that people are far behind him. If his party, the AKP, fall (38.8 percent) in local elections under the 2009 result, he was ready to leave politics, reports the state news agency Anadolu. See surveys the ACP but continue as the strongest.

At the talks with his son Bilal, in which he tells him to bring millions of dollars and euros in security against corruption investigators, and in which he tells him that he should reject a business because not enough money would Erdogan said nothing.

Meanwhile, politicians from his environment to express critical of the corruption scandal and ask for an explanation from the Premier – though not publicly. “If these two calls have taken place,” says one, “why should not also have been conducted so the other conversations?”

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