Erdogan says his old office was infested with cockroachesJune 6, 2015 - 18:03 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey's President has defended the controversial construction of a grandiose new presidential palace, saying his old office was infested with cockroaches, the Associated Press reports. Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been accused of squandering state resources when he was Prime Minister by building the 1,150-room palace, which critics say was illegally built on protected land. In the run-up to Sunday's parliamentary elections, opposition parties have criticized the expenditure. Erdogan moved into the vast structure after he was elected president in August. The former presidential palace was given to the Prime Minister. In a television interview late Friday, Erdogan said cockroaches had roamed the lavatories in the now-vacated prime ministry. He said: "Does such an office suit the prime minister of the Republic of Turkey? There can be no question of waste where representation is concerned." Photo: AFP Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Armenian, Saudi Foreign Minister meet in Riyadh The two commended the positive dynamics of the development of political dialogue between Armenia and Saudi Arabia Pashinyan: Azerbaijan’s proximity shouldn’t worry border residents At the same time, he said that he “does not guarantee [the security of villagers] one hundred percent”. U.S. doesn’t see Russia as contributing to peace in Caucasus Patel made the remarks when asked about the implications of Russia’s withdrawal of peacekeepers from Karabakh. Up to 1% cashback when shopping on Wildberries with IDBank cards IDBank is launching an exclusive campaign on Wildberries for online shopping enthusiasts. |