News Scan for Turkey, August 30th, 2017
Turkey will eliminate all threats against its existence, Erdoğan says on ‘Victory Day’
Turkey will preserve its determination to defeat all “threats, attacks and attempts to sabotage its economic and political independence,” just as it did in the War of Independence 95 years ago, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in his message marking “Victory Day” on Aug. 30. Victory Day marks the Turkish victory against Greek forces at the Battle of Dumlupınar, the final battle of the War of Independence in 1922.
“The unyielding fight we have been waging against bloody terrorist organizations such as [the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization] FETÖ, [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] DAESH, the [outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party] PKK, and the [Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party] PYD is the clearest example of our determination, without making any compromises on on the law, justice and democracy. With its struggle, Turkey not only protects its citizens but also contributes to global security. Turkey will continue to eliminate threats against its existence at their root,” Erdoğan stated.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-will-eliminate-all-threats-against-its-existence-erdogan-says-on-victory-day.aspx?pageID=238&nID=117324&NewsCatID=341
Over 2M Russian tourists visited Turkey in past 8 months
The Association of Tour Operators in Russia (ATOR) announced Tuesday that 2.35 million tourists from Russia have visited Turkey so far this year. The high increase in Russian tourist flow this year exceeded the figures from 2015, coming close to the 2014 record level.
“A total of 2.35 million Russian tourists have visited Turkey until mid-August this year. The Russian market surpassed its 2015 volume, getting close to 2014 indicators,” ATOR said in a written statement.
According to ATOR, 3.3 million Russian tourists visited Turkey in 2014; while data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) suggest that 4.5 million Russian vacationed in Turkey the same year.
Russia plays an important role in Turkey’s tourism sector as the country leads the list of foreign visitors coming to the country.
https://www.dailysabah.com/tourism/2017/08/29/over-2m-russian-tourists-visited-turkey-in-past-8-months
Turkey objects to Kirkuk’s decision to participate in KRG’s independence referendum
Turkey’s foreign ministry has released a statement on Tuesday (August 29) in reaction to the decision of provincial council of Iraq’s northern city of Kirkuk, made earlier on the same day, to participate in the referendum on independence of the Kurdish region in Iraq.
The referendum that is scheduled to be held on September 25 had already irked Turkish authorities, who see the move as a threat to the Turkmen and Arab groups in the region and as a breach of Iraqi constitution.
The statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: While holding the referendum would already be a mistake in itself, the decision approved today (29 August) by the Kirkuk Provincial Council to include Kirkuk in the referendum has added a new element to the chain of mistakes and as such constituted another severe violation of the Iraqi constitution”.
http://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/turkey-objects-to-kirkuk-s-decision-to-participate-in-krg-s-independence-referendum-177094.html
Turkish Central Bank reserves stand at $107.6B in July
The Turkish Central Bank’s total reserves stood at $107.6 billion as of July 31, the bank announced on Monday.
Official reserve assets went down by one percent, compared to $108.7 billion as of June 30, according to the bank’s international reserves and foreign currency liquidity report.
In July, foreign currency reserves — in convertible foreign currencies — fell to $86.5 billion, marking a monthly decrease of 2.5 percent.
As another sub-item of official reserve assets, gold reserves — including gold deposits and, if appropriate, gold swapped — rose by 6.3 percent last month to reach $19.7 billion, compared to the previous month.
http://www.yenisafak.com/en/economy/turkish-central-bank-reserves-stand-at-1076b-in-july-2787475
AKP spokesperson blasts opposition ‘justice congress’ declaration
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesperson Mahir Ünal has slammed the final declaration of the recent “justice congress” organized by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), claiming that it aims to “smear the Turkish government and judicial system internationally.”
“The final declaration of the congress denies the successes of AKP governments on the economy, justice, freedom of belief, education, guaranteeing different lifestyles and the media. It aims to counter our [Fethullahist Terrorist Organization] FETÖ cases in the international arena by giving the message that ‘there is no judiciary in Turkey,’” Ünal stated on Aug. 30.
His comments came after the final declaration of the CHP’s four-day justice congress in the western province of Çanakkale included harsh criticism of Turkey’s current justice record. “Courts are not independent or impartial. The people have given up hope in courts and politics influences the judiciary,” CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu said on Aug. 29, reading aloud the declaration. “The state has transformed into a party state, the principle of separation of powers has been destroyed, a one-man regime has been established,” Kılıçdaroğlu added.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/akp-spokesperson-blasts-opposition-justice-congress-declaration.aspx?pageID=238&nID=117373&NewsCatID=338
30.08.2017
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.
