Turkish President Abdullah Gul has called on the country’s judiciary to remain impartial while investigating corruption accusations against the government.

On Friday, Gul made the remarks in a Turkish television interview in the capital Ankara in his first extensive comments on last month's graft probe.

"The legislative and executive powers are in a way accountable through elections but the judicial system is in a different position. For them, independence and impartiality is much more important," President Gul said.

The Turkish president expressed concerns over the graft probe, saying, “There cannot be another state or other organizations within the state. There cannot be such thing as [receiving] instructions from outside an institution.”

Gul’s remarks echoed those by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had previously reiterated that the graft probe is a foreign “plot” that targets the Turkish people.

On December 25, 2013, the Turkish premier replaced the economy, interior, and environment ministers, whose sons have all been arrested as part of investigations into the spiraling corruption scandal.

Earlier, Erdogan had warned that he might expel some foreign diplomats involved in “provocative actions” against the Turkish state.

"These recent days, very strangely, ambassadors get involved in some provocative acts. I am calling on them from here, do your job, if you leave your area of duty, this could extend into our government's area of jurisdiction. We do not have to keep you in our country," Erdogan told the supporters of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the province of Samsun on December 21, 2013.

Political analysts say the graft scandal is a big challenge for Erdogan, who has pledged to root out corruption in the country.

By Press TV

 

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