News Scan for Turkey, July 23rd 2016

Turkey in shake-up of security forces after failed coup

Turkish authorities have announced a shake-up of the security forces a week after a section of the army attempted to overthrow the government in a failed coup. In the most significant institutional changes since the coup attempt, Interior Minister Efkan Ala said on Friday that the gendarmerie would in future fall under the interior ministry and not the army.

The gendarmerie, which is responsible for public order in rural areas that fall outside the jurisdiction of police forces, as well as assuring internal security and general border control, had always been part of the military and its removal is a blow to the armed forces’ clout.

“The gendarmerie will definitely be dependent entirely on the interior ministry,” Ala said, in an interview with the Turkish news broadcaster, NTV. Claiming that the coup threat “is not yet over”, Ala also disclosed that authorities had cancelled a total of 10,856 passports “due to flight risk”. Turkey also detained 283 members of the presidential guard, an official later told Turkish media. There are at least 2,500 members of the guard.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/07/turkey-shake-security-forces-failed-coup-160722135138655.html

US strongly supports Turkey’s gov’t, US Treasury Secretary Lew says

US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said the United States strongly supports the Turkish government and urged it to investigate the failed coup in a way that reinforces public confidence in democratic institutions and promotes economic stability.

Lew made the comments in a meeting with Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Şimşek on the sidelines of a G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bankers in China on Saturday, according to a statement from the Treasury.

http://www.dailysabah.com/politics/2016/07/23/us-strongly-supports-turkeys-govt-us-treasury-secretary-lew-says

Energy companies will not change investment strategy in Turkey

Energy companies will continue investments in Turkey despite the possibility that credit rating agencies will drop the country’s ranking over its investment environment after the failed military coup last Friday.

The coup attempt began late on Friday when rogue elements of the Turkish military tried to overthrow the country’s democratically elected government.

At least 246 people, including members of the security forces and civilians, were martyred during the failed putsch and more than 1,530 others were wounded as they protested against it.

So far the situation is not so critical that it will negatively influence investments or unduly impact normal daily life, Chief Executive of Zorlu Energy Group Sinan Ak told Anadolu Agency.

http://www.dailysabah.com/energy/2016/07/23/energy-companies-will-not-change-investment-strategy-in-turkey

Hunger for Turkey’s energy investments unlikely to ebb: IEA

The intensive appetite for energy investments with increased demand in Turkey is unlikely to be lost in the wake of the failed coup attempt on July 15, International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol has said.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency on the impacts of the attempt, Birol noted the steps taken by Turkey to repel long term risks have been positive. Turkey’s Central Bank said on July 17 that it would cut the commission on daily liquidity options for banks to zero as well as provide them with unlimited liquidity to maintain efficient functioning of the financial markets.

“It will be better if these steps are supported with market-friendly structural reforms,” Birol added.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/hunger-for-turkeys-energy-investments-unlikely-to-ebb-iea–.aspx?pageID=238&nID=101947&NewsCatID=348

Russian airlines resume passenger flights to Turkey

Russian airlines have resumed regular passenger flights to Turkey, after a temporary suspension in the wake of the failed coup in Turkey was lifted by Russia’s transport ministry.

The ministry lifted restrictions “after receiving assurances from the Turkish side on urgent measures taken for the increased security of Russian citizens,” it said (in Russian).

Turkey’s tourism relies on Russians. Earlier Russia and Turkey resolved a bitter row triggered by the Syria war.
Last month Turkish President Recept Tayyip Erdogan apologised for the downing of a Russian military jet on the Turkey-Syria border in November.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36865160

Flights as usual after failed coup attempt, Turkish Airlines chairman says

Things are back to normal for Turkish Airlines (THY), the flag carrier’s chairman İlker Aycı has told Hürriyet Daily News, following a coup attempt on July 15 which hit Istanbul’s Atatürk International Airport, its main hub, forcing it to cancel a number of flights.

As of July 22, only 43 flights out of 1,459 had been canceled, Aycı added.

“Some 91 percent of these flights reached their destinations on time, as 88 percent of them departed on time,” he said.

All THY flights would operate normally, after the government declared a nationwide three-month state of emergency, the company confirmed in a written statement.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/flights-as-usual-after-failed-coup-attempt-turkish-airlines-chairman-says.aspx?pageID=238&nID=101980&NewsCatID=345

Gülen more dangerous than Bin Laden: Turkish EU minister

U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, the main suspect behind the bloody July 15 coup attempt, is more dangerous than former al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, Turkish EU minister has said, criticizing the bloc for failing to stand by Turkey during the unrest.
“The head of the terrorists, Fethullah Gülen is more dangerous than Osama Bin Laden,” he told a news conference ofJuly 23.
The minister said he was surprised by the lack of visits from senior European Union figures one week on from the attempted coup.
“We would expect officials of the European Union, European Parliament and European Council to visit Turkey to voice their support for the common democratic values we share by standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Turkey.”

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/gulen-more-dangerous-than-bin-laden-turkish-eu-minister.aspx?pageID=238&nID=101997&NewsCatID=341

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.

23.07.2016
compiled by Editor BTT