Report: Some AKP deputies want investigation into interior minister

Minister Soylu's rally in Afyon last week was criticized over the lack of physical distancing.

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The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have blocked a parliamentary inquiry into exiled mob boss Sedat Peker's claims of wrongdoing against state officials.

However, there is a group of AKP deputies that want an investigation into Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu, who is one of the main targets of Peker, according to a report by BBC Turkish.

In his YouTube videos on state-mafia relations that are viewed by millions of people, Peker describes Soylu as "a man I've invested in for 20 years" and claims that the minister had promised him that he would be able to return to the country in April.

Soylu denies any acquaintance with Peker and claimed during a TV program that there was an MP who was receiving 10,000 US dollars from Peker every month.

While Soylu didn't announce the name, it was rumored that the person he mentioned was Metin Külünk, a senior member of the AKP. Peker confirmed the rumors in the video he released on June 6, saying that he would put bags of money in Külünk's car during election campaigns.

During the TV program, Soylu also accused other government officials of providing police protection for Peker between 2015 and 2019.

According to the BBC Turkish report, 15 MPs who conveyed their concerns to the party administration demanded Soylu's resignation as the interior minister and an investigation into Peker's claims.

While the party administration admitted that Soylu made mistakes, it didn't want to be "in a position to sack the interior minister after a mafia leader's claims," according to the report.

At the party's latest Central Executive Committee meeting, President and AKP Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned the party executives not to respond to Peker's claims, BBC Turkish reported. The president was also against parliamentary action regarding the events, according to the report.

(TP/VK)