News Scan for Turkey, August 25th, 2017

Main opposition CHP’s ‘Justice Congress’ launches in Çanakkale

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) on Aug. 26 launches its “Justice Congress” in the western province of Çanakkale, planning to hold workshops, panels and discussions on Turkey’s poor current justice record.

The congress will bring together more than 700 speakers in eight main panels and 70 workshops until Aug. 30 at Çanakkale’s historic Kocatepe field. It comes after the 450-kilometer “justice march” from Ankara to Istanbul organized earlier in the summer by the CHP.

CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu will address participants at the start of the congress, which he will attend for the remaining four days. At the event there will be eight main panels on justice in courts, daily life, education, religion, media, election and livelihood. The first topic to be discussed at the congress will be “justice in courts.”

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/main-opposition-chps-justice-congress-launches-in-canakkale.aspx?pageID=238&nID=117202&NewsCatID=338

Turkey will never be EU member under Erdoğan: Germany’s FM Gabriel

Turkey will never be a member of the European Union as long as it is governed by Tayyip Erdoğan, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Thursday, accusing the Turkish president of failing to take accession talks with the bloc seriously.

His remarks in an interview with mass-selling newspaper Bild are likely to further inflame relations between the two NATO allies after Erdoğan urged German Turks to boycott Germany’s main parties in next month’s general election. “It is clear that in this state, Turkey will never become a member of the EU,” Gabriel said. “It’s not because we don’t want them but because the Turkish government and Erdoğan are moving fast away from everything that Europe stands for.”

EU leaders have been critical of Erdoğan’s crackdown on opponents before and after a failed military coup against him in July last year. Accession talks have ground to a virtual halt though Turkey remains a candidate for membership.

http://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/turkey-will-never-be-eu-member-under-erdogan-germany-s-fm-gabriel-176463.html

Germany crossing the line, should avoid populism ahead of elections, Turkish FM says

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu warned Germany about “crossing the line” ahead of general elections in the country, shortly after his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel told a news outlet that Turkey will never be a member of the European Union as long as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stays in power.

“Germany must be careful about how it conducts foreign policy with Turkey” Çavuşoğlu said in Poland and added that a populist approach is not the answer to solve ongoing problems between the two countries.

Relations between Turkey and Germany, home to 3 million ethnic Turks, have been badly strained, particularly since the failed coup attempt a year ago against Turkey’s democratically elected government by the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ). Turkey accuses Germany of harboring high-ranking FETÖ figures and soldiers linked to the coup attempt, in addition to activities of PKK and DHKP-C terrorist groups in Germany.

https://www.dailysabah.com/diplomacy/2017/08/25/germany-crossing-the-line-should-avoid-populism-ahead-of-elections-turkish-fm-says

Turkey, Russia agree on procurement of S-400 missile: PM

Turkey and Russia had reached an agreement on the procurement of the S-400 missile defense system from Russia, and the final decision would be made by the executive committee of Turkey’s defense industry, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım was quoted as saying on Aug. 25.

Speaking to reporters on his return flight from Vietnam, Yıldırım also said Turkey was working in cooperation with Russia and Iran in Syria, and there should be no reason for the United States and Turkey to be on opposite sides. “We are talking about two NATO nations, there should be no reason for there to be [problems]. Of course, if they show a stance other than what they have told us on the YPG [Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units] issue, it would be a problem,” Yıldırım was quoted as saying on private broadcaster NTV, as reported by Reuters.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had said late in July that Russia and Turkey had made progress in the plans to procure the S-400s and that signatures had been signed.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-russia-agree-on-procurement-of-s-400-missile-pm.aspx?pageID=238&nID=117178&NewsCatID=345

We don’t recognize the KRG as a state: PM

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said on Friday that the upcoming Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) independence referendum would spark regional problems, and that Turkey was working in cooperation with Russia and Iran in Syria to ensure peace in the war-torn country.

“We said from the beginning that this was the wrong move. We are reiterating the same thing today. The referendum will serve only to spark new problems without solving any existing ones. The referendum should be cancelled. The Iraqi central government does not support it, and neither does Iran, the U.S. or Turkey. European countries have called it “untimely.” When you take all this into account, it is meaningless for the Northern Iraq administration to insist,” Yıldırım said on his flight returning from Vietnam.

http://www.yenisafak.com/en/news/we-dont-recognize-the-krg-as-a-state-pm-2785735

Long lines in Istanbul airport as Qurban Bayram holiday (Sacrifice Holiday) nears

ravelers passing through Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport experienced lengthy lines as a 10-day holiday on the occasion of Qurban Bayram (Feast of the Sacrifice), also known as Eid al-Adha, approaches.

Scores of holidaymakers seeking a bayram getaway as well as hajj pilgrims traveling to Mecca through Istanbul caused long queues at various airport checkpoints.

Crowds of people were reportedly waiting at terminal entrance doors, boarding counters and passport control points.

https://www.dailysabah.com/istanbul/2017/08/23/long-lines-in-istanbul-airport-as-qurban-bayram-holiday-nears

Turkey’s private security force exceeds the police force

A recent statement by Turkey’s Interior Ministry given as an answer to independent MP Aylin Nazlıaka reveals that the private security force in the country has exceeded the country’s police force.

According to latest data released by the Ministry, there were 146,474 private security guards in 2011. This year, this number has reached 284,399, which has placed the private security force as the second largest security body in the country. The information provided by the Ministry regarding the number of staff on duty in private security forces came as a response to a parliamentary question of independent lawmaker Aylin Nazlıaka, as Sinan Tartanoğlu from Cumhuriyet reported.

The Ministry’s answer to MP Nazlıaka also indicated that the are currently 992,721 people granted a license as a private guard, with 624,099 armed and 368,622 not armed. Of this total number of guards, 284,399 are actively on duty.

http://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/turkey-s-private-security-force-exceeds-the-police-force-176352.html

25.08.2017
compiled by Editor BTT

This is a news-scan from major Turkish papers and internet sites. However, we do not verify above stories neither do we vouch for their accuracy.