Erdoğan sacks deputy finance ministers with midnight decree

President Erdoğan has sacked two deputy finance ministers with a midnight decree. Ercan Gül and Hamdi Yıldırım were replaced by Mahmut Gürcan and Yunus Elitaş.

Treasury and Finance Minister Nureddin Nebati.

Duvar English 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has sacked two deputy treasury and finance ministers with a midnight decree on Dec. 16. 

According to the decision published in the Official Gazette, Ercan Gül and Hamdi Yıldırım were dismissed from their posts and were replaced with Mahmut Gürcan and Yunus Elitaş. 

The changes came after Nureddin Nebati, a textile company owner, replaced Lütfi Elvan as the Treasury and Finance Minister on Dec. 2. 

Gürcan has been working at the ministry since 2004 and is a sock producer. He has also assumed positions within the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) since 2001. 

Elitaş had been working at the General Directorate of Public Accounts. 

Separately, President Erdoğan is considering offering a position to former minister Elvan within the economy management, the daily Cumhuriyet reported on Dec. 16. 

Erdoğan reportedly seeks to prevent Elvan from joining the ranks of two opposition parties founded by former high-level AKP officials - the Democracy and Future Party (DEVA) and Future Party - after learning that they want the former minister in their ranks. 

Elvan didn't accept or reject their offers, Cumhuriyet said.