By Mark Bentley
Oct. 8 (Bloomberg) -- A German opposition party is demanding that the government answer questions in parliament about possible links between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government and the Germany-based Deniz Feneri charity, Hurriyet newspaper said.
The Left Party filed a motion with the assembly in Berlin asking the government to clarify whether members of the Deniz Feneri Islamic charity had relations with high-level Turkish bureaucrats or politicians, Hurriyet reported.
A German court on Sept. 17 sentenced directors of the German arm of the charity to jail for siphoning off 16 million euros ($11.8 million) in donations. Turkish prosecutors are examining allegations that Erdogan's Justice and Development Party may have received illegal payments from the charity. Erdogan denies any connection.
The Left Party is also asking the government to clarify whether Erdogan and Turkish Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin spoke with German ambassador to Turkey Eckart Kuntz late last year about the Deniz Feneri case, Hurriyet said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Mark Bentley in Ankara at mbentley3@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: October 8, 2008 02:03 EDT
