the Turkish government levied about a 1.7 billion-euro tax penalty against Doğan

By Erol Izmirli for Southeast European Times in Ankara — 16/09/09

In an unprecedented action earlier this month, the Turkish government levied about a 1.7 billion-euro tax penalty against the country’s largest media group, Dogan, which had already been fined 340m euros in February. The penalties — the largest ever imposed on a Turkish company — could become a hurdle for the country’s EU bid.

Dogan Media Group, which owns dozens of newspapers, magazines and TV channels, says it is being targeted because of an ongoing dispute with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). In March, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the public to boycott the Dogan’s newspapers, for allegedly smearing the AKP’s reputation through “baseless” corruption stories.

The articles contained allegations of government involvement in the defrauding of Lighthouse e.V., a charity founded in Germany by Turks. According to the media, millions of donated euros were embezzled and transferred to Turkey in 2007.

More than 30 people have died in northwestern Turkey

More than 30 people have died in northwestern Turkey after two days of torrential rains triggered flash floods that turned roads into rivers and left hundreds of houses, offices and vehicles submerged.

Floods in the centre of Istanbul and the city’s districts of Catalca, Silivri and Ikitelli claimed 26 lives, the Anadolu news agency quoted Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying Wednesday (September 9th).

Another “five citizens died in the northwestern province of Tekirdag. Currently, nine people are reported missing”, he told reporters in Istanbul. The city has not seen this much rain in about 80 years.

Turkish daily Hurriyet quoted Erdogan as saying that the government would provide nearly 1.4m euros in emergency aid to deal with damage caused by the floods.

Neighbours Turkey and Armenia made a step towards

Neighbours Turkey and Armenia made a step towards ending their almost century-old enmity Monday (August 31st) as they agreed to launch talks aimed at normalising ties.

The decision was announced in a joint statement by the Turkish and Armenian foreign ministries following months of bilateral discussions mediated by Switzerland. It said the two sides would start internal political consultations over two protocols — on the establishment of diplomatic relations and on the development of bilateral relations.

The consultations would be completed within six weeks, after which the protocols would be signed and submitted for ratification to the Turkish and Armenian parliaments, according to the announcement.

At the end of the day, the lack of security agreements might put our personnel on the ground at risk

NATO chief urges Athens, Ankara to iron out differences

28/08/2009

“At the end of the day, the lack of security agreements might put our personnel on the ground at risk,” NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.

NATO’s new secretary-general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, urged Greece and Turkey this week to improve ties, stressing that their ongoing disputes are impeding the Alliance’s efforts in Afghanistan and Africa by putting ground troops at risk.

“I do not think we could allow a lack of security because of all these political disputes — we have to find pragmatic solutions,” Rasmussen said Thursday (August 27th).

Cyprus is at the core of tensions between the two neighbouring nations, both NATO members. Ankara does not recognise the Greek Cypriot-run part of the ethnically divided Mediterranean island, which joined the EU in May 2004, minus its Turkish Cypriot-controlled north.

In response, Turkey has prevented Cyprus’s inclusion in strategic co-operation between the EU and NATO, thus making it impossible for the Alliance to ensure adequate protection for the 27-nation Union’s trainers in Afghanistan.

Turkey may sign pact with Iraq on Nabuccco gas

Turkey may sign pact with Iraq on Nabuccco gas

Azerbaijan and even Russia and Turkmenistan have also been eyed as potential suppliers.
Sunday, 20 September 2009 10:14
Turkey and Iraq have discussed signing a memorandum of understanding to ship Iraqi gas to Europe via Turkey through the planned Nabucco pipeline, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said on Saturday.

Turkey and four European Union countries signed a transit deal in July for the $7.9 billion euro EU-backed pipeline to carry Caspian and Middle Eastern gas to central Europe, aiming to cut dependency on Russia.

No concrete supply deals have yet been signed for Nabucco, which plans to pump 31 billion cubic metres of gas to Europe by 2014, but backers of the Vienna-based consortium have said Iraq could be among the suppliers.

Azerbaijan and even Russia and Turkmenistan have also been eyed as potential suppliers.

Yildiz did not provide more details of the possible MOU with neighbouring Iraq.

But during the signing ceremony of the Nabucco transit deal in Ankara between Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria in July, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Europe could receive 15 billion cubic metres of Iraqi gas via Turkey.

Flood risk still persists in northwestern Turkey

Environment Minister Veysel Eroğlu has strongly warned İstanbul residents that settlements near watercourses would definitely be demolished to ensure public safety against natural disasters. “What is to be done is pretty clear.

Watercourses will be evacuated. Rivers will return to their natural forms. The prime minister has assigned the State Waterworks Authority [DSİ] and the İstanbul Waterworks Authority [İSKİ] the duty to do just that. We will cancel certificates of proprietorship if necessary,” stated the minister in an exclusive interview with Today’s Zaman.

Eroğlu’s remarks came as part of planned measures to prevent the public against natural disasters. Flash floods triggered by torrential downpour turned İstanbul streets into rapid flowing rivers, resulting in the deaths of more than 30 people last week. Houses built near watercourses were blamed for the overflow of rivers. The minister underlined that the government would show no mercy when demolishing buildings around watercourses. “The İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality, İSKİ and DSİ will determine unlicensed buildings. They will be demolished. Those with proprietorship certificates will also be demolished if they are situated near watercourses. We have prepared a circular for the rehabilitation of rivers. We will not face similar disasters if we comply with this circular,” Eroğlu said.

Eroğlu pointed to the Republican People’s Party (CHP) as responsible for last Wednesday’s disaster. “I wanted to demolish shanty houses near rivers when I was the general manager of İSKİ. The CHP opposed the planned demolitions. They applied to administrative courts and hindered the demolitions. Now they are asking why we did not demolish those buildings. We could have overcome the problem if we had cooperated,” he noted.

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was also wiretapped during his phone conversation

Daily Cumhuriyet’s reporters and telephone switchboard were wiretapped without a court order as part of the Ergenekon investigation, the Justice Ministry confirmed, but it rebuffed complaints because it said prosecutors had not drawn up an indictment.

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, deputy president of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, was also wiretapped during his phone conversation with correspondent İlhan Taşçı. Kılıçdaroğlu applied to the Supreme Board of Prosecutors and Judges, or HSYK, and lodged a complaint against the prosecutors.

Importance of Article 221 in the Kurdish Initiative

Importance of Article 221 in the Kurdish Initiative

As expectations in Ankara are raised that the Justice and Development Party, or AKP, may reveal the content of the Kurdish Initiative after Ramadan’s Festival of the Sacrifice, the prime minister announced that it would be an ongoing process. “If you call it a ‘package’, it should have a beginning and an end. But this is not a package. This is a process; a mid- and long-term process,” he said, revising earlier statements that it could be handled by the end of the year.

Accordingly, the AKP administration will extend the Kurdish Initiative over a period of time. Economic, social, cultural solutions, as well as the military solution, to end terror may be carried out gradually by the election period. For instance, constitutional change and economic investments will be spread in out into mid- to long terms, if necessary. Steps for the facilitation of speaking the Kurdish language, returning village names to Kurdish, supporting special Kurdish television broadcasts, having Kurdish translators in state institutions and shifting village guards to some other fields would be considered as part of the short-term program. Legal changes will follow in the medium term.

Turkey’s Sadullah Ergin urges court to drop charges against Abdullah Gul

Turkey’s  Sadullah Ergin urges court to drop charges against Gul

09/09/2009

ANKARA, Turkey — Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin insisted on Tuesday (September 8th) that the Court of Appeals should reverse a decision to launch an investigation against President Abdullah Gul. The corruption charges against Gul were pressed by a court in Sincan, near Ankara, which insisted in May that Gul, though having presidential immunity, should face trial over a case back in the 1990s, when millions of US dollars went missing from his Justice and Development Party’s funds. Ergin told reporters in Ankara that his office has sent a request to terminate the trial. Gul has denied all corruption allegations.

Turkish State Minister Zafer Caglayan said that the officials who would take place in the working group would meet in October.

Turkey, India agree on forming working group for free trade deal
Turkish State Minister Caglayan said that the officials who would take place in the working group would meet in October.
Tuesday, 08 September 2009 12:13
Turkish State Minister Zafer Caglayan received Indian Commerce & Industry Minister Anand Sharma in Ankara on Tuesday.

Sharma is in Ankara to attend a meeting of Turkey-India Economic & Technical Cooperation Joint Committee.

Following his meeting with Sharma, Caglayan told reporters that they reached an understanding with the Indian minister on a working group on a free trade agreement which was planned to be signed between Turkey and India.

He noted that the officials who would take place in the working group would meet in October.

Caglayan said that the trade volume between Turkey and India had been 3 billion USD in 2008.

Infrastructure and super structure construction projects –worth of 500 billion USD– would be implemented in India in the next ten years, Caglayan said that it was important that Turkish contractor companies would undertake those projects.

Caglayan also said that the two countries could cooperate in medicine, chemicals, communication, information technologies and textile sectors.

Zafer Çağlayan says Romania has opportunities for Turkish contractors

Minister says Romania has opportunities for Turkish contractors
Turkish foreign trade minister said Friday Romania offered a lucrative market for Turkish construction companies.
Friday, 18 September 2009 13:16
Turkish foreign trade minister said Friday Romania offered a lucrative market for Turkish construction companies.

“Romania needs transportation investments specifically in construction of highways, rail roads and ports. And there are vast opportunities for Turkish contractors here,” Turkish State Minister Zafer Caglayan told Turkish reporters in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, citing a 31 billion euro funds the country expects to receive from the European Union to renew its infrastructure.

Turkish State Minister Babacan said that talks continued with the IMF for a new deal.

Turkey says 17 deals with IMF could not be concluded earlier

Friday, 18 September 2009 16:56

Turkish State Minister Ali Babacan said on Friday that talks continued with the IMF for a new deal.

Babacan attended “Emerging Markets Summit 2009″ which The Economist magazine hosted in London.

Babacan gave information to participants about Turkey’s economy, global economic crisis and impacts of the economic crisis on Turkish economy.

Commenting on relations with the IMF, Babacan said 17 deals had been signed with the IMF before the Justice & Development (AK) Party government, noting the deals could not be concluded.

Turkey military says US missiles cost $1 bln

The U.S. administration has notified Congress of a possible sale of Patriot PAC-3 antimissile batteries and related gear to Turkey, the only NATO member bordering Iran.

Friday, 18 September 2009 12:02
A Turkish military spokesman said Friday a possible purchase of Patriot missiles from the United States would cost 1 billion USD, not previously reported figure of 7.8 billion USD.
General Ferit Guler, chairman of the Communication Office with the Turkish General Staff, said Turkey was planning to buy four Patriot PAC-3 batteries at a cost of 1 billion USD with a six-year repayment period.

U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), a part of the U.S. Defense Department, earlier said it had notified the Congress of the possible sale to Turkey of 13 Patriot batteries and estimated cost around 7.8 billion USD.

“The news reports that say the purchase would cost 7.8 billion USD are not correct on the part of Turkey,” Guler told a weekly press briefing in Ankara, the Turkish capital.

The spokesman said the purchase was a part of the military’s procurement plan and “it isn’t against any specific country.”

Ali Babacan says Turkey ready for energy cooperation with Greece

Babacan says Turkey ready for energy cooperation with Greece

Babacan said Turkey was ready to enhance the emerging cooperation in the area of energy.

Friday, 18 September 2009 11:15

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, who is visiting England to attend a series of meetings, delivered a speech Thursday in Oxford University on Turkey-Greece relations during the inauguration ceremony of the Turkey branch of Southeastern Studies Programme (SEESOX).

Babacan who said that the relations between Turkey and Greece were developing, pointed out that the trade volume between the two countries reached 3.5 billion USD.

He said 350,000 Turkish tourists visited Greece, and around 550,000 Greek tourists visited Turkey annually said the positive developments in the tourism sector contributed to mutual understanding between the two countries.

New congress center in Turkey opened for major meetings

New congress center in Turkey opened for major meetings

The Istanbul Congress Center, the venue for the upcoming annual meetings the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, opened on Thursday.

Friday, 18 September 2009 08:15

The Istanbul Congress Center, the venue for the upcoming annual meetings the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, opened on Thursday.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas attended the ribbon cutting ceremony of the center, which cost the Istanbul municipality some 330 million Turkish Liras.

The massive congress center is set to host on October 6-7 about 20,000 people during the 2009 Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank and the IMF.

The congress center in built upon 120,000 square meters with 12 storeys. Seven of the storeys are underground on a 19,000 square meters land.

Turkey’s Central Bank cut interest rates by half points

Turkey’s Central Bank cut interest rates by half points
The Central Bank of Turkey cut interest rates by half points on Thursday.
Friday, 18 September 2009 08:02
The Central Bank of Turkey cut interest rates by half points on Thursday.

The Monetary Policy Board of the Central Bank reduced overnight borrowing interest rates from 7.75 to 7.25 percent.

The board dropped the lending interest rates from 10.25 to 9.75 percent.

Turkey raises price of electricity

Turkey raises price of electricity

EPDK stated on Thursday that the price increase would be valid as of October 1, 2009.

Thursday, 17 September 2009 16:12

The price of electricity increased 9.85 percent per kilowatt hour in industry, and 9.68 percent per kilowatt hour in residences in Turkey.

Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) stated on Thursday that the price increase would be valid as of October 1, 2009.

Turkey, Iraq to sign deals on agriculture

Turkey, Iraq to sign deals on agriculture
The agreement are expected to be signed at a later date in Baghdad.

Thursday, 17 September 2009 14:57

Turkish Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker met Thursday with his Iraqi counterpart Akram al-Hakim as part of a ministerial meeting of the Turkey-Iraq Strategic Cooperation Council in Istanbul.

Eker and al-Hakim discussed issues such as water resources, irrigation and stockbreeding as the Iraqi minister conveyed his country’s willingness to cooperate on the water problem as well as animal diseases and counter measures against drought.

Kemal KILIÇDAROĞLU, Local politics heats up in İstanbul after the flood

Local politics heats up in İstanbul after the flood
The recent flash floods that wreaked havoc in İstanbul and cost the lives of at least 40 have left behind not only devastation, wreckage and mud, but also a polemic between the heads of local chapters of both the ruling and opposition parties.

Aziz Babuşcu, the chairman of the İstanbul chapter of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), has called on Gürsel Tekin, the head of the İstanbul chapter of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), to resign. Babuşcu had held the CHP responsible for the flood disaster in Silivri, claiming that river rehabilitation efforts on the Boğluca Stream in Silivri had been prevented because of a lawsuit brought by people including CHP members.

Hasan Gerçeker’s speech shows that the judiciary itself is displeased with this power.

‘Judicial reform strategy’ by MÜMTAZ’ER TÜRKÖNE

September and October are characterized by the opening ceremonies of major institutions. Last week, a new judicial year started.

On Oct. 1, Parliament’s new session will begin with the opening speech delivered by the president. Such opening ceremonies are generally brought to the agenda in the speech delivered therein. Using these opening speeches, the relevant institutions have the opportunity to make a long statement to the general public. In this way, state institutions establish dialogue with each other through these speeches, which seemingly target the general public.

The opening speech delivered by Supreme Court of Appeals President Hasan Gerçeker on Monday was one of the most important of these speeches. The Supreme Court of Appeals president is the person in charge of the judiciary. In his speech, he explained how judicial reform efforts, which are on the agenda these days, are viewed by the judiciary and listed their proposals. As always, this speech also included the judiciary’s concerns about the fundamental principles of the regime. These two major headings represent the debates that the judicial front will maintain throughout the year.

What the judiciary understands from the concept of ‘unitary state’

Turkey, Romania to promote economic ties in Black Sea region

Turkey, Romania to promote economic ties in Black Sea region

ANKARA, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) — Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Thursday that Turkey and Romania will promote economic cooperation in the Black Sea region.

The two countries were determined to turn the Black Sea region into one of the most powerful and developed economic basins in the world, Davutoglu said.

Speaking at a joint press conference following official talks with his Romanian counterpart Cristian Diaconescu in the Turkish capital of Ankara, Davutoglu said Turkey and Romania are two important countries in Black Sea region, adding that both countries have made efforts to achieve security and stability in the region.

Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz and State Minister Zafer Caglayan would pay visits to Romania in September and October in an effort to improve the bilateral economic and political relations, according to Davutoglu.

Turkish State Minister Zafer Çağlayan received Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma in Ankara

Turkey, India to sign free trade agreement

Turkish State Minister Zafer Çağlayan received Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma in Ankara on Tuesday, where the two parties attended a meeting of the Turkey-India Economic and Technical Cooperation Joint Committee, following which Çağlayan told reporters that they had reached an understanding with the Indian minister on a free trade agreement that is expected to be signed between the two countries

He noted that officials who will participate in drawing up the free trade agreement will meet in October. Çağlayan said the trade volume between Turkey and India was $3 billion in 2008. Infrastructure and superstructure construction projects — worth $500 billion — will be implemented in India in the next 10 years. Çağlayan stated that it was important that Turkish contractor companies undertake these projects.

Çağlayan also said the two countries could cooperate in the medical, chemical, communications, information technology and textile sectors. Çağlayan stated that India would become a neighbor to Europe via Turkey with the planned free trade agreement. Meanwhile, the visiting minister told reporters that they would provide more incentives to companies in the public sector, adding that they would encourage companies to make mutual investments in Turkey and India. Sharma stated that this free trade agreement and economic cooperation in general would improve relations between Turkey and India.

Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin on Saturday met with reporters at the İstanbul Judge House

Gov’t to introduce electronic voting to HSYK elections

The Justice Ministry is preparing to modify the composition of the controversial Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) as part of the judicial reform that is currently taking place with the purpose of ensuring greater harmony with European Union legislation. Under the new system, all judges and prosecutors will be able to vote in the election of the board members.

Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin on Saturday met with reporters at the İstanbul Judge House to discuss the emerging details about the Judicial Reform Strategy Action Plan. Noting that the legal amendments which will change the composition of the HSYK are the natural consequences of the EU-membership process, Ergin said parliaments are actively involved in the election of members of the HSYK-like boards in EU member countries.

Stressing that in addition to Parliament and the high courts, 12,000 judges and prosecutors working in the local courts may participate in the election process, he explained that the National Judiciary Network Project (UYAP) can be used as a medium for electronic voting for this purpose. Ergin further indicated that the judicial reform package does not consist only of amendments concerning the HSYK, but it will also contain major reforms to boost and improve judicial independence and impartiality.

He said the proposal to increase the number of the HSYK members to 21 in the Judicial Reform Strategy Action Plan has created some controversy. Pointing out that the proposed changes are part of the country’s EU bid, the justice minister explained that 12,000 judges working for courts, with the exception the Supreme Court of Appeals and the Council of State, will be able to participate in the election of the Board members.

He also pointed out that the 2007 report by the Venice Commission stressed the need for the election of the majority of the judicial board members by the judiciary and for the election of the remaining members by Parliament, a measure that will reinforce democratic legitimacy of the board. Ergin emphasized that they propose that Parliament should elect its quota from among jurists. He asserted that while it is important that judicial independence is preserved and that the judiciary is administered by its own members, the need for the accountability of the judiciary should not be ignored.

Referring to the Justice Ministry’s study on HSYK-like organizations in other countries, Ergin said in virtually all of these countries, Parliament and senior judges are involved in the election process. Ergin gave France (with an 18-member board), Italy (27 members), Spain (21 members), Poland, Belgium and the UK (25 members) as examples.

07 September 2009, Monday
TODAY’S ZAMAN  İSTANBUL

http://todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-186361-101-govt-to-introduce-electronic-voting-to-hsyk-elections.html

Hasan Gerçeker shared his views on the Justice Ministry’s judicial reform package.

Judicial reform crucial for democracy in Turkey, say top state officials

President Abdullah Gül and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have both underlined the importance of completing a judicial reform package the government has been working on, stating that this is crucial to democracy in Turkey.

In a statement he released yesterday to mark the beginning of the new judicial year, Gül said, “Completing the judicial reform with the determination and contribution of all segments, which will increase democratic standards, strengthen judicial independence and improve the quality and effectiveness of judicial service was of crucial importance both for Turkey and for the country’s European Union process.”

In the statement, Gül stressed that the principle of rule of law was one of the most important elements of being a modern nation. He said it is of primary importance to ensure the supremacy of law in the rule of law, which is the guarantee of democracy and fundamental rights and freedoms.

He said the Republic of Turkey, a democratic, secular welfare state ruled by the rule of law, has given a satisfactory performance in extending the supremacy of law into multiple spheres. He said Turkey’s legal system was closer than ever before to complying with universal legal reforms. However, legal reform was necessary to strengthen Turkey’s position in the modern world.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also released a statement sent to Supreme Court of Appeals Chairman Hasan Gerçeker to mark the beginning of the 2009-2010 judicial year. Erdoğan noted that a just and impartial judiciary system played a major role in the existence and sustainability of the Republic of Turkey as a democratic, secular welfare state with the rule of law.

Zafer ÇAĞLAYAN and Nihat ERGUN was in meeting with SHARMA

India, Turkey can have economic strategic partnership: Sharma

September 8th, 2009

ANKARA – India and Turkey can have strategic partnership for making inroads into third countries for trading goods, projects and investments, said visiting Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma.

He further added that both countries have identified many new areas of cooperation such as contracting and consultancy, tourism, science and technology, energy, transportation and leather.

He also said that the Indian Government has taken a decision to form a Joint Study Group to comprehensively study various aspects of bilateral trade, both in goods and services, and investments and also to explore the possibility of entering into negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between India and Turkey.