ANKARA
"The cost of the Dec. 17 and Dec. 25 coup attempts to Turkey were $120 billion," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.
Erdogan referred to the investigation into the probe into alleged graft by public officials in 2013.
The parliamentary inquiry commission into the accusations of graft against four ex-ministers ended on Monday when the commission ruled against sending them for trial.
In May, the inquiry committee began its probe into corruption allegations against former Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan, former Interior Minister Muammer Guler and former Urbanization Minister Erdogan Bayraktar. The three officials resigned from their posts after an anti-graft probe was launched on Dec. 17, 2013, while EU Minister Egemen Bagis was later replaced in a cabinet reshuffle.
Hosting Turkish ambassadors over a luncheon in "The 7th Annual Ambassadors' Conference" at the Presidential Palace, Erdogan said "If they were to be tried, the cost would be much more."
The government has denounced the probe as a "dirty plot" devised by a "parallel state" headed by U.S.-based preacher Fethullah Gulen and his Hizmet movement.
Erdogan also said "the parallel state will be put on the list of threats to national security."
Now the Grand National Assembly of Turkey will give its final decision over the trial of the four former ministers.
After the corruption inquiry committee issues a report of its findings to the parliament on Jan. 9, the lawmakers will vote by secret ballot at the assembly on whether they will be tried by the Constitutional Court.
"The Parliament will give its final decision in the most ideal and fair manner," Erdogan added.
Ambassadors should promote Turkish reality abroad
"There is no freer press, either in Europe or anywhere in the world, than in Turkey," said Erdogan.
Addressing the group of ambassadors, Erdogan said that they should work to promote the reality of Turkey abroad.
Erdogan said: "We work hard to make our embassies and consulates befit our dignity."
Erdogan also said the Presidential Palace is the product of making Turkey's capital Ankara suitable to the country's dignity.
The new Presidential Palace was built in 2014.
Erdogan reiterates support for Palestine
On the Palestine conflict, Erdogan said "Israel is increasing its aggression against occupied Palestine territories."
Erdogan also reiterated his support to Palestine, seeking an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank during the 1967 Middle East War. It later annexed the holy city in 1980, claiming it as the capital of the Jewish state – a move never recognized by the international community.
Palestinians want a state of their own in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with East Jerusalem, currently occupied by Israel, as its capital.
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