- Mehmet Mehdi Eker
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Mehmet Mehdi Eker is Minister of Agriculture of Turkey and Member of Parliament for Diyarbakır of the ruling party, Justice and Development Party (Turkey).
A veterinarian and agro-economist he had a career as a civil servant in the ministry of agriculture before entering politics at the age of 46. He speaks Kurdish and has travelled to Diyarbakır with the Minister of Interior during periods of unrest in south-east Turkey, where Turkey-PKK conflict is ongoing. [1]
As minister of Agriculture he has had to deal with issues including:
- The bird flu epidemic of 2005, in which he made a statement that it was safe to eat cooked chicken and then famously refused to do so on television. [2]
- Adjusting food control regulations to comply with EU norms, including recategorising pork and horsemeat as suitable for human consumption. [3]
References
First cabinet of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (2003–2007) Cabinet Deputy Prime Ministers Minister of State Ali Babacan (2003–2007)
Güldal Akşit (2003-2005) • Nimet Çubukçu (2005–2007)
Mehmet Aydın (2003–2007)
Kürşad Tüzmen (2003–2007)
Beşir Atalay (2003–2007)Minister of Justice Minister of National Defense Mehmet Vecdi Gönül (2003–2007)Minister of the Interior Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of Finance Minister of National Education Minister of Public Works and Settlement Minister of Health Minister of Transport and Communication Minister of Agriculture Sami Güçlü (2003–2005) • Mehmet Mehdi Eker (2005–2007)Minister of Labour and Social Security Minister of Industry and Commerce Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Mehmet Hilmi Güler (2003–2007)Minister of Culture and Tourism Minister of Environment and Forestry Third cabinet of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (2011–present) Cabinet Deputy Prime Ministers Minister of Justice Sadullah ErginMinister of Family and Social Politics Fatma ŞahinMinister of European Community Affairs Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Minister of Labour and Social Security Minister of Environment and Urban Development Erdoğan BayraktarMinister of Foreign Affairs Minister of Economy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner YıldızMinister of Youth and Sports Suat KılıçMinister of Food, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Mehmet Mehdi EkerMinister of Customs and Commerce Minister of the Interior İdris Naim ŞahinMinister of Development Minister of Culture Minister of Finance Minister of National Education Minister of National Defence İsmet YılmazMinister of Forestry and Water Affairs Minister of Health Minister of Transport Categories:- Living people
- Government ministers of Turkey
- Turkish people of Kurdish descent
- Members of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey
- Justice and Development Party (Turkey) politicians
- Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, 3rd Class
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