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Turkish Press Review, 08-03-31Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning31.03.2008FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] KUWAIT’S EMIR MEETS WITH GULKuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and an accompanying delegation yesterday arrived in Turkey at the invitation of President Abdullah Gul. Gul hosted a luncheon for Al Sabah, with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Constitutional Court Chief Justice Hasim Kilic also in attendance. Eight agreements were signed to increase military and defense industry cooperation. /Aksam/[02] ERDOGAN: “THEY’RE TRYING TO LOCK US INTO THE HEADSCARF ISSUE”Speaking to his ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Women Branches Congress in Yalova and Bursa yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal and spoke about the closure case against the AKP. Stating that they will continue to work to achieve the rule of law, he added, “Recently, some have tried to lock us into the headscarf issue. I have been prime minister for five years, and during that time the headscarf issue was not brought to Parliament. We always have patience.” In related news, Erdogan is set to visit his Swedish counterpart Fredrik Reinfeldt in Stockholm this week. /Sabah- Milliyet/[03] PARLIAMENT SPEAKER TOPTAN VISITS SAUDI ARABIAParliament Speaker Koksal Toptan and an accompanying delegation including his predecessor Bulent Arinc yesterday paid a visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where they attended a meeting of the Shura Council. Toptan was also received by Saudi Arabian King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz El Suud. Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Canakkale Deputy Ahmet Kucuk and opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Giresun Deputy Murat Ozkan were also present at that meeting. /Cumhuriyet-Aksam/[04] CICEK: “THE AKP CLOSURE CASE WOULD MAKE TURKEY A THIRD-CLASS DEMOCRACY”Speaking about the closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek said, “Those who cannot come to power democratically level false and groundless accusations against the AKP, and they seek to come to power through undemocratic means. These efforts only harm Turkey’s development and push it backwards.” He stressed that everyone should respect democracy and stay calm. Cicek also said that it isn’t a problem that the ruling party represents the vast majority of the Turkish people, rather the problem is the opposition parties stoking useless political tensions instead of offering reasonable solutions to the issues facing Turkey. /Turkiye/[05] TOP COURT TO DECIDE TODAY WHETHER TO HEAR AKP CLOSURE CASEThe Constitutional Court today will announce today whether it will hear a prosecutor’s case seeking the closure of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). If the court rules in favor of the case, the indictment will be forwarded to the AKP for preliminary legal arguments. Otherwise, the Constitutional Court will return the indictment to the Chief Prosecutor of Supreme Court of Appeals Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya. The prosecutor can then re-submit the indictment to the Constitutional Court. /Turkiye/[06] IZMIR EXPECTANT AS EXPO 2015 HOST TO BE CHOSEN TODAYIn Paris today, the Bureau of International Exhibitions (BIE) will decide whether Izmir or Milan will host the Expo 2015. BIE members will listen to the final presentations of the two candidate cities and then cast their votes. The results of the vote will be announced at 5 p.m. local time. After the announcement, BIE officials and representatives of the winning host city will hold a joint press conference. State Minister Mehmet Aydin, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul and main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal are both in Paris to extend their support for Izmir. President Abdullah Gul will also go there today to deliver a speech for Izmir. /Today’s Zaman-Hurriyet/FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS [07] INDEPENDENT MEDIA INDISPENSABLE FOR DEMOCRACYBY MEHMET Y. YILMAZ (HURRIYET)Columnist Mehmet Yilmaz comments on the importance of on independent media for democracy. A summary of his column is as follows: “Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently pointed to a ‘media which advocates a certain political mentality’ as the reason for recent developments. If we look for local newspapers or TV channels which give full support to a political party, we can find a lot rallying around the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). In saying ‘a certain political mentality,’ Erdogan surely meant the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). However, it is almost impossible to find a media organ subscribing to this party. Not even Cumhuriyet daily! Claims that publications with substantial circular or ratings, act in line with a political mentality are not true. The section which I call the ‘mass media’ has opened its papers to all writers espousing various views. During the AKP’s six years in office, when these papers found ruling party policies wise and constructive, they supported them, but otherwise they criticized them. If the premier believed in democracy from his heart, he would know that an independent media is an indispensable element of democracy. Journalism, naturally, is an opposing occupation! Because it’s newspapers’ business to keep a watchful eye on the actions of the ruling party on behalf of the people. Of course they back positive activities, but it’s not their duty to deferential, or to help the ruling party. No doubt the people holding the reins of power, even in other parts of the world, don’t like newspapers and journalists. However, this doesn’t cause complaints about their right to criticize. But in Turkey, ruling parties want the media bounded by them. If not, they get angry and begin to blame the media for all negative developments. I advise the premier to get used to living with that. The independent media will always exist and continue to criticize.” Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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