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Turkish Press Review, 08-04-18
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
18.04.2008
FROM COLUMNS' FROM COLUMNS' FROM COLUMNS'
CONTENTS
[01] PARLIAMENT PASSES SOCIAL SECURITY BILL
[02] OPPOSITION CRITICIZES AKP OVER CLAIMS IT PUSHED FOR PACE DECLARATION
[03] AKP, CHP SHOW SOLIDARITY OVER RESTORING MAY 1 HOLIDAY
[04] TUZMEN MEETS WITH EU'S REHN
[05] US' WILSON: "WE'RE WATCHING THE AKP CLOSURE CASE CLOSELY"
[06] IRAQI OFFICIALS TO VISIT TURKEY
[07] ISTANBUL TO HOST CONFERENCE ON REVIVING SILK ROAD
[08] TRT LAYS OUT PLANS TO BROADCAST IN FIVE LANGUAGES
[09] PRESIDENT OZAL COMMEMORATED
[10] FROM COLUMNS' FROM COLUMNS' FROM COLUMNS'
[11] THE EU'S DECLARATION OF WAR
[01] PARLIAMENT PASSES SOCIAL SECURITY BILL
After weeks of debate, Parliament yesterday passed the Social Security
Bill. The bill now proceeds to the president, who is expected to sign it.
Under the bill, the retirement age for both women and men would be
gradually raised to 65, and the number of premium days to be eligible for
pensions would increase from 7,000 to 7,200. Also, former green card
holders would be covered under general health insurance. The new law is
expected to come into effect in October. /Turkiye/
[02] OPPOSITION CRITICIZES AKP OVER CLAIMS IT PUSHED FOR PACE DECLARATION
A main opposition party official yesterday accused ruling party members of
"betraying the republic" by urging the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe (PACE) to issue a declaration condemning closures of
political parties. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is
currently facing a prosecutor's case seeking its closure. Speaking to
reporters, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) parliamentary
group leader Kemal Anadol said that the AKP had extended interference in
the judiciary to the international level. Democratic Left Party (DSP)
leader Zeki Sezer joined in the criticism, saying that the ruling party had
encouraged EU officials to make statements against Turkey. He called on the
AKP not to let international organizations meddle in Turkish affairs. But
AKP's PACE members denied the allegations, saying that no Turkish deputies
were involved in seeking a declaration. /Cumhuriyet/
[03] AKP, CHP SHOW SOLIDARITY OVER RESTORING MAY 1 HOLIDAY
After ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Corum Deputy Agah Kafkas
introduced a proposal to Parliament this week to celebrate May 1 as Unity
and Solidarity Day, it got open backing from the main opposition Republican
People's Party (CHP). Kafkas said that May 1 is an important day for the
world's labor movement, adding that he hoped the proposal would proceed
through commission hearings to the full Parliament. From 1935 to 1980,
Turkish workers celebrated May 1 as an official holiday under the title
Spring and Flower Festival. But the holiday was eliminated in the wake of
the 1980 coup. In the years since, many proposals to restore the holiday
were introduced by left-wing or social democratic parties, but none
succeeded. /Turkish Daily News/
[04] TUZMEN MEETS WITH EU'S REHN
As part of his contacts in Brussels, State Minister Kursad Tuzmen yesterday
met with European Commissioners Peter Mandelson and Olli Rehn, responsible
for trade and enlargement, respectively. During their talks, Tuzmen urged
the commissioners to include Turkey in decision mechanisms on free trade
agreements and investment relations. /Milliyet/
[05] US' WILSON: "WE'RE WATCHING THE AKP CLOSURE CASE CLOSELY"
The US is closely following the closure case against the ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP), and believes the matter will be settled
democratically, said US Ambassador to Ankara Ross Wilson on Wednesday. "We
believe that the issue will be solved within Turkey's democratic framework,
" Wilson said in New York, where he was attending an American Turkish
Society (ATC) awards banquet. "First of all, the problem concerns the
Turkish people and its institutions. We hope that it concludes in a way
that benefits Turkey's democratic system." The ATC dinner celebrated
successful partnerships of US and Turkish corporations and honored business
leaders who exemplify the countries' friendship. Defense Minister Vecdi
Gonul and Turkish Consul General in New York Mehmet Samsar were among those
in attendance. Turkey's Dogus Holding and the American GE corporation
received a Corporation Partnership Award at the dinner. The award was
received by Jeffrey R. Immelt, the CEO of GE, and Dogus Chairman Ferit F.
Sahenk. /Sabah-Aksam/
[06] IRAQI OFFICIALS TO VISIT TURKEY
Iraqi Deputy Chief of General Gen. Naseer al-Abadi Staff is set to visit
Ankara next week at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Gen. Ergin
Saygun. Later this month, Iraqi Vice President Tariq Hashimi will visit
Istanbul. Finally next month, officials of Iraq's State Oil Marketing
Organization (SOMO) are set to meet with officials of the Turkish Petroleum
Corporation (TPAO). The meetings reportedly will focus on why TPAO was not
among 35 companies recently approved by Iraq's Oil Ministry to bid for
tenders to develop oil and gas fields. /Sabah/
[07] ISTANBUL TO HOST CONFERENCE ON REVIVING SILK ROAD
The World Congress of the International Road Transportation Union's
conference on reviving the Silk Road is set to be held in Istanbul on May
15-16. Transportation ministers of nearly 70 countries are expected to
attend the conference. In light of the rising trade volume between Eastern
and Western countries, participants will focus on the importance of
reviving the historic Silk Road. Barriers to global transportation and
proposals for solutions will also be discussed. Officials at the conference
are expected to sign a roadmap agreement for reviving the ancient trade
route. /Hurriyet/
[08] TRT LAYS OUT PLANS TO BROADCAST IN FIVE LANGUAGES
The state-owned Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) has
announced plans to broadcast in five languages, including Arabic, Persian
and Kurdish. At hearings on the proposed changes yesterday at Parliament's
Planning and Budget Commission, State Minister Mehmet Aydin, who is
responsible for TRT, said that other international news channels also
broadcast in various languages. "This new policy will be very beneficial
and advantageous for Turkey," he added. In related news, the Turkish
General Staff has applied to the Supreme Board of Radio and Television
(RTUK) to set up a radio station meant to keep the public informed about
terrorism and other matters related to the military. /Turkiye-Hurriyet/
[09] PRESIDENT OZAL COMMEMORATED
President Turgut Ozal, who also founded the Motherland (ANAVATAN) Party,
was commemorated yesterday on the 15th anniversary of his death in two
separate ceremonies. First Ozal's family, friends and former aides attended
a ceremony at his tomb in Istanbul, followed by a ceremony at ANAVATAN
headquarters. President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan also both issued messages honoring the late leader. /Star/
[10] FROM COLUMNS' FROM COLUMNS' FROM COLUMNS'
[11] THE EU'S DECLARATION OF WAR
BY M. ALI KISLALI (RADIKAL)
Columnist M. Ali Kislalı comments on the European Union's stance on the
closure case against the Justice and Development Party (AKP). A summary of
his column is as follows:
The European Union has declared war on Turkey, following the closure case
filed by the state prosecutor against the Justice and Development Party
(AKP). Besides the EU's central staff and spokesmen, its supporters in
Turkey have ramped up their threats. They reiterate at every occasion that
if the AKP is closed, membership talks with the EU would be suspended. (Our
membership talks have been suspended for a while, anyway, haven't they?).
Nobody's asking how relations with the EU have affected Turkey. Nobody's
wondering about the possibility of our full EU membership, the EU's view of
this, or what we have to do to get membership. Nobody in Turkey is asking
who's against Turkey's membership. But all the EU advocates reiterate their
threat that if the AKP is shuttered, our EU membership talks would be
suspended.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan also says that he doesn't believe his
party would be closed. In his indictment, the prosecutor detailed AKP
policies said to violate the law. Now isn't it time to wait for the
Constitutional Court Court's ruling on the case? As if the EU ever treated
Turkey warmly or encouraged hope for our membership, now how can it say
that if the AKP is closed, Ankara's membership talks would be suspended?
How can it ask the Constitutional Court not to implement the law and the
prosecutor to withdraw the case?
Who will be swayed by the EU's threats and blackmail? Probably not our
experienced judges. And Erdogan's statement that he doesn't believe his
party will be closed, what could it mean? The AKP is doing what it thinks
is right. It's also trying hard to rally its supporters' morale, not stir
up tension, and not show disrespect to the court's rulings. It leaves the
task of going too far to the EU. The head of the Parliamentarian Assembly
of the Council of Europe (a non-EU body) also stated that its Turkish
members from the AKP asked PACE to issue a declaration opposing the closure
case. I think the EU will lose the war it has declared against Turkey 's
constitutional regime."
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