NEWS SCAN for Turkey – July 6th, 2013

Down below you will find a summary of topics from major Turkish papers and internet sites.

Turkish FM Davutoğlu urges Egypt to include Morsi in politics again

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu called on Egypt to let deposed President Mohamed Morsi participate in politics once again, while revealing the details of the intense diplomatic traffic prior to and after the Egyptian army’s intervention.

During an interview on public broadcaster TRT Davutoğlu said “The first step that should be made in Egypt after the army toppled the elected president is to integrate him back into the political system as a legitimate political actor, along with the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party”.

The FM compared the events with the Feb. 28, 1997 military intervention in Turkey, the so-called “post-modern” coup that led to the forced resignation of the Welfare Party government and went on to say “The most important issue is legitimacy. A leader who received the most votes from the people has been wanted to be proclaimed illegitimate. It has similarities to the May 27, 1960 and Sept. 12, 1980 coups, but just like after Feb. 28, a party and a leader have been pushed out of the political arena”.

Law seeking increase in detention period in crimes against state annulled

The Turkish Constitutional Court on Thursday annulled a recent law that doubled the detention period stipulated in the Code on Criminal Procedure (CMK) for serious crimes against the state. On Thursday, The Turkish Constitutional court annulled the law which had been adopted by Parliament as part of the 3rd Judicial Reform Package last summer and gone into effect after the president’s approval in the same period.

Article No. 6352 of the 3rd Reform Package proposed to double the jail term for those convicted of involvement in espionage and crimes against the security of the state, constitutional order, national defense or state secrets. The new reform package obliges prosecutors to obtain permission from relevant authorities in order to investigate officers in a number of top state institutions, including the General Staff, the National Security Council (MGK), the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) and the police force. Prior to the third judicial reform package, prosecutors were free to investigate any state official, no matter the crime.

President Abdullah Gül, who on Friday spoke about the Constitutional Court’s Thursday ruling, said the court’s ruling is “binding.” He did not elaborate further about the court decision.

Turkey targets 48.5 million tourists annually

It is reported that Turkey plans to receive around 48.5 million tourists annually between 2014 and 2018 which corresponds to 4.6 percent increase over the 2007-2012 period. On the other hand the authorities aim to increase tourism income per visitor $932, which is a 2.3 percent increase, in accordance with the targets in the latest economic development plan.

Experts comment that these targets are quite feasible and the country could accomplish it provided the negative outlook due to the countrywide antigovernment protests and harsh police action, recovers.

Based on the new economic development plan diversification in tourism such as more investments in winter tourism, cruise tourism, gold tourism and culture tourism is targeted and thus Turkey expects to increase the number of foriegn visitors to 48,5 million annually in the coming years.

During The Gezi Park protests have however cost Istanbul tourism 54.7 million euros, as almost 216,000 overnight stay reservations have been canceled since the beginning of the incidents, although the tourism in Anatolian cities has not affected yet, according to a report released by Turkey’s Touristic Hotels and Investors Association (TUROB).

Nabucco pipeline project not dead, says EU official

Experts say the route planned by the Nabucco West pipeline project is not dead despite losing out in bidding to carry Azeri natural gas to western Europe.

European Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger has said “This is just the beginning. The decision to build TAP and later to deliver more gas also means that the supply path to Austria – Nabucco West at the moment – is still in the conversation. Gas from Azerbaijan’s vast Shah Deniz 2 gas field and eventually other Azeri fields will flow to Europe”.

Nabucco West proposed a route that would have collected the Azeri gas from a pipeline in Turkey and carried to Austria via Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary.

TAP, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, will also start in Turkey, but instead cross Greece and Albania before reaching southern Italy.

Turkish tourism recovers with early-bookings

It is reported that after Gezi Park events, Turkish tourism sector has recovered with early-booking system.

Officials have said 60 percent of Turkey’s tourism capacity is full with early-booking system which has proved to be more successful compared to previous years.

It was also announced that the ministry would closely engage with Middle East, central and northern Europe to fulfill the remaining 40 percent with last-minute sales. Another finding is that tourists from Germany, Holland and Britain generally tend to book their holidays following newyear, and Russia seems to lead the early-bookings, generally preferring sea-side and cultural destinations.

Toyota starts producing new Corolla in Sakarya plant in Tuırkey

The Japanese car maker’s new Corolla is being produced at Toyota’s Turkish plant in Sakarya and it will be exported to 52 countries.

Toyota Board Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada spoke at the ceremony at the northwestern Sakarya plant and said he was happy that the all-new Corolla will be produced in Turkey with a 150 million euro investment. Among guests at the ceremony were Turkish Minister of Economy Zafer Çağlayan and Minister of Science, Industry & Technology Nihat Ergun as well as Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey CEO Orhan Ozer.

Uchiyamada said “Toyota Turkey produced its first car 20 years ago. This factory continues to produce high quality vehicles. At the moment, Toyota Turkey produces 1.3 million vehicles in Turkey,” he said. Uchiyamada said that they decided to produce the new Corolla in Turkey, because they believed that Toyota Turkey will grow. “The new Corolla, which has been reborn with styling that is more refined and more luxurious, is the new global symbol for our efforts to make better cars. I am very proud that the European version of the new Corolla will call Sakarya its home. Let’s continue to write the Corolla’s history”.

06.07.2013
SOURCE: MEDIA

We do not verify above stories neither do we vouch for their accuracy.