Turkey: Erdogan's confidante resigns

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Bülent Arinc (right) next to Erdogan (June 2011): »Individual expressions« by individuals

Photo: © Umit Bektas / Reuters / REUTERS

After criticism of the detention of government opponents, a confidante of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has resigned from his work as a consultant.

Bülent Arinc announced on Tuesday that he had resigned from the "High Advisory Committee" to the President and Erdoğan accepted it.

Erdoğan's office confirmed the decision.

Arinc is also a co-founder of the Islamic conservative ruling party AKP.

In an interview with Habertürk last week, Arinc called for the release of the intellectual and cultural promoter Osman Kavala, who has been imprisoned for more than three years.

Erdoğan then indirectly criticized Arinc on Sunday and spoke of "individual statements" by individuals.

The president also made renewed allegations against Kavala, lowering hopes of his release.

Arinc now wrote in support of the statement: "It is obvious that Turkey needs reforms in the judiciary, the economy and in other areas." He supported the President in the announced reforms.

Arinc went on to write: Through what he said in the interview, the discussion had been directed to individual people;

he feared that this would hinder the reforms.

That is why he "decided that it would be more appropriate to withdraw from my role as a member of the High Advisory Committee."

It is the second resignation in the Erdoğan's circle within a month.

At the beginning of November, Erdoğan's son-in-law Berat Albayrak suddenly resigned as finance minister.

On Friday, Albayrak was also released from leadership of Erdoğan's government welfare fund, which is invested in companies such as Turkish Airlines, rail and telecom groups.

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asa / dpa