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Russian lawmaker says PM change won't affect Turkey’s relations with Russia

The lawmaker says the prime minister’s replacement would not produce any serious impact on the Russian-Turkish relations as Erdogan’s decisions are the root cause behind the crisis
Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu AP Photo
Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
© AP Photo

MOSCOW, May 5 /TASS/. The Russian-Turkish relations are not going to change if Turkey gets a new prime minister because President Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes all the decisions in this sphere, Alexey Pushkov, the head of the Russian State Duma Committee for International Affairs, said in an interview aired by the Rossiya 24 television channel.

"Erdogan’s decisions and behavior are the root cause behind the Russian-Turkish crisis…I do not think that the prime minister’s replacement is going to produce any serious impact on the Russian-Turkish relations, which are at their lowest," Pushkov said.

The lawmaker also commented possible appointment of Turkey’s acting minister of energy and natural resources, Berat Albayrak (Erdogan’s father-in-law), as the country’s new prime minister. "This kind of nepotism at the highest state level will make Europe more annoyed with Erdogan," the Russian politician stressed.

Davutoglu became the Turkish prime minister and the head of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in August 2014. Out of all Turkish politicians, he is believed to be most closely linked to Erdogan. Several candidates to replace Davutoglu are being discussed in the corridors of power. They include Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, Vice-Premier Numan Kurtulmush, Transport Minister Binali Yildirim and Energy Minister Berat Albayrak. The Justice and Development Party (AKP) is expected to nominate one candidate to the chairman’s post on May 22.