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Turkish Press Review, 99-09-08Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>08.09.99Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] EARTHQUAKE HITS ATHENSA strong earthquake shook Athens for 10 seconds yesterday, sending thousands of frightened people onto the streets. According to the Athens Seismological Institute, the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.9, an epicentre 20 kilometres north of the capital, and occurred at 2:56 p.m. It is reported that 50 people died and hundreds of people were injured. Numerous aftershocks could be felt after the quake. It knocked out power and telephone lines in some parts of the city, whose population is more than 5 million. Meanwhile, the daily 'Hurriyet' newspaper said that Turkey had not forgotten the Greek aid given in the aftermath of the earthquake disaster in Turkey and added that Turkish people were ready to help Greece. /Hurriyet/[02] MESSAGES OF CONDOLENCE SENT TO ATHENSThe Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), Yildirim Akbulut, sent a message of condolence to the Greek Parliament Speaker Apostolos Kaklamanis on the occasion of the earthquake which happened in Athens yesterday. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit also sent a message of condolence to his Greek counterpart Kostas Simitis while Foreign Minister Ismail Cem talked with Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreu on the phone. A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry said that Ismail Cem phoned Papandreu yesterday and stated that Turkey was ready to offer every kind of help if needed, the Anatolia News Agency reports. Meanwhile, a statement issued by the Prime Ministry Crisis Desk said that 20 people from the Turkish search and rescue team (AKUT) had gone to Athens.[03] IRTEMCELIK: "THERE ARE NO CARDS MISSING ON THE PATH TO HELSINKI"The State Minister responsible for EU relations Mehmet Ali Irtemcelik stated that it was too early to be 'optimistic or pessimistic' about Turkey's EU membership prior to the Helsinki Summit. Irtemcelik remarked that the EU should unequivocally reveal its stance vis-a-vis Turkey during this Summit. Irtemcelik evaluated the recent situation in Turco-EU relations and Turkish expectations of the Helsinki Summit to be held in December. Irtemcelik said: "Unfortunately, the EU assumed a discriminative attitude in Luxembourg and our relations entered a critical period". He added: "Helsinki is an enlargement summit. Today, there are no missing cards on the table. Turkey's desire concerning her EU relations is clear and unambiguous. Turkey will carry on on her path to modernization by taking confident, unwavering steps. This will be either with or without the EU. However, Turkey would prefer to walk on this path hand-in-hand with the EU", the Anatolia News Agency reports.[04] AID FOR THE VICTIMSThe amount of aid collected for the victims of the earthquake in bank accounts opened by the Turkish Foreign Ministry in Ankara and in its representative offices abroad has reached 1.8 trillion TL. A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry said that the donations had been transferred to the account held in the Ziraat Bank in accordance with an order from the Prime Ministry, the Anatolia News Agency reports.[05] SECOND INTERNATIONAL GAP '99 FAIRThe Second International GAP '99 Fair will be held in Sanliurfa between October 4-10. The proceeds on the gate will be granted to the victims of the earthquake disaster which hit northwestern Turkey last month. A total of 300 firms from Germany, Italy, Holand, Ukraine, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), South Africa, Syria, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Jordan, the Turkish-Speaking Republics in Central Asia and Turkey will attend the Fair. Turkish President Suleyman Demirel and TRNC President Rauf Denktas are also expected to attend the opening of the Fair. Agricultural products, food, the construction sector, automotive parts, high-tech goods, plastic goods, wrapping and durable consumer goods will be exhibited, the Anatolia News Agency reports.[06] GOOD MARK FROM BRITAIN FOR TURKEYBritish tour companies have prepared a report concerning Turkey in which it is said that Turkey is a safe country for tourists. The 'Sunworld' company sent a delegation to Turkey last month which later prepared a report giving Turkey a perfect mark for safety and for the quality of service in the tourism sector. The report also pointed out the hospitality of the Turkish people, the beauty of her natural and historic assets and praised Turkish cuisine, the Anatolia News Agency reports.[07] 27 PKK TERRORISTS CAPTUREDDuring operations carried out by security forces in the Nusaybin district of Mardin, 27 members of the PKK terrorist organization were captured. Officials said that 15 terrorists allegedly involved in various terrorist activities were later arrested. Officials added that a crack-down in the region was still underway. /Star/[08] IMF DELEGATION COMES TO TURKEYAn IMF delegation, headed by the Head of the IMF Turkey Desk Carlo Cotarelli, will come to Turkey today. The IMF delegation will arrive in Turkey to discuss the 'Emergency Relief Loan' which is planned to be given to Turkey due to the earthquake disaster. The delegation has stated that the IMF will give $325 million in aid to Turkey following the earthquake. It is reported that during IMF talks in Turkey, this amount could be raised to $650 million.The IMF delegation will examine the changes in economic indicators since the last IMF visit to Turkey in June. The IMF delegation will begin its round of talks tomorrow. The delegation will meet officials from the Treasury Undersecretariat, the Central Bank, State Planning Organization (DPT), Finance Ministry and the Privatization Administration Board. The delegation is also expected to meet the State Minister responsible for the economy, Recep Onal. /Star/ [09] $1 BILLION ON THE WAYThe Head of the World Bank, James Wolfensohn, stated that the World Bank was preparing an aid package of $1.05 billion for Turkey. Wolfensohn said that $300 million of this amount comprised current loans given to Turkey and the remaining $750 million would consist of new long-term loans. He remarked that World Bank support for the re-construction programme of the Turkish Government would further continue and the World Bank would make its recommendations to Turkey on the Construction Standards Law and insurance and emergency relief issues. Meanwhile, two delegations from the World Bank are continuing to examine and determine the extent of the damage caused by the earthquake in Turkey in conjunction with Turkish officials. /Star/[10] DEMIREL APPROVES SOCIAL SECURITY LAWPresident Suleyman Demirel approved the Social Security Law yesterday. A statement issued by the Presidential Press Centre said: "President Demirel has approved the Unemployment Insurance Law known to the public as the Social Security Reform". /Star/[11] AGNELLI SABANCI'La Repubblica' newspaper published in Italy has drawn a similarity between the Head of the FIAT company Giovanni Agnelli and the Head of the Executive Board of the Sabanci Conglomerate, Sakip Sabanci. An editor from 'La Repubblica', Marco Ansaldo, who arrived in Turkey to interview Sabanci, said: "Sabanci, the Turkish Agnelli, has called on Italy to help his country". Ansaldo pointed out the determination and success of Sabanci in his work. /Star/[12] TURKISH DOCTOR'S SUCCESSA Turkish doctor, Prof.Mehmet Oz, the Director of the Artificial Heart and Transplant Centre of the Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, has maintained another achievement in medicine. Prof.Oz managed to graft a small part taken from a child's heart onto another person's heart. Oz stated that they had undertaken 115 heart transplants, inserted 40 pacemakers and carried out 1,700 instances of open heart surgery last year. /Hurriyet/[13] DAMAGE-ASSESSMENT EQUIPMENT COMING FROM RUSSIAThe Russian Ministry of Emergencies will send a mobile laboratory system (Struna-1) to Turkey to determine the extent of the damage caused by the earthquake in Turkey. The Director of the Forward-Planning and Monitoring Agency of the Russian Ministry of Emergencies, General Mihail Sahramanyan, said that the system would arrive in Turkey within a week. /Hurriyet/[14] NETAS PROJECT IN MOROCCOThe NETAS Company has completed its modernization of the Moroccon telecommunications network, a venture worth $8 million which began in August 1998. The new 31 DMS power centres operating in various regions of Morocco and Year 2000 compliant hardware and software have also been put into service. /Hurriyet/[15] IS TURKEY EXCLUDED FROM EUROPEAN DEFENCE?While there have been some positive developments concerning Turkey's possible EU membership status, the exclusion of Turkey from the European Security and Defence Identity (ESDI) is on the agenda. Research is being conducted in order to include those countries which are not EU members but are NATO members, such as Turkey, into some kind of 'information exchange and consultation' relationship and to prevent these countries from blocking the initiatives of the ESDI. What is more, Spanish Foreign Minister Abel Matutes in reply to questions asked by the daily 'Hurriyet' newspaper declared that Turkey should not be excluded. /Hurriyet/[16] U.S. QUOTA INCREASE FOR MARMARA REGIONSince the U.S. has made positive move towards increasing textile quotas imposed on Turkey, the Head of the Istanbul Ready-to-Wear Exporters' Union, Nuri Artok, stated that the quota increase would be mostly directed at the Marmara Region. Artok said that they were in a continuous dialogue with the U.S. and added that the extent of the quota would be determined through negotiations to be held by the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat. State Minister Tunca Toskay remarked that there would be preliminary negotiations in Washington on September 20-21. He said: "I hope that Turkey will achieve the best result". /Aksam/[17] BEKO RECEIVES AN ORDER WORTH $23.4 MILLIONThe Turkish company, Beko, which attended one of the most important electronics fairs, IFA '99, in Berlin, Germany, has received an order worth $23.4 million. Beko aims to achieve $200 million in exports by the end of this year. /Aksam/[18] TUZMEN: FOREIGN TRADE UNDERSECRETARYState Minister Tunca Toskay said that the decree concerning the appointment of Kursat Tuzmen as the Foreign Trade Undersecretary and Sefik Yildizeli as the Head of the State Institute of Statistics (DIE) was sent to the Prime Ministry two days ago. /Aksam/[19] $100 MILLION FOR SCHOOLS IN THE DISASTER REGIONNational Education Minister Metin Bostancioglu said that $100 million received from the Basic Education Project supported by the World Bank would be used to renovate and rebuild schools in the earthquake disaster region and to help their students. Bostancioglu added: "Schools will be opened on September 13". /Aksam/[20] TURKISH SOLDIERS RETURN HOMETurkish soldiers who went to Kosovo to protect the Albanians living there following the Serbian massacre have returned to Turkey. The Turkish soldiers stayed in Kosovo for nearly four months; ninety-two soldiers including six female personnel were welcomed home by their families yesterday. Military officials congratulated the Turkish soldiers on their achievements in Kosovo. /Aksam/[21] TURKEY TO BE DISCUSSED BY U.S. CONGRESSThe U.S. Senate will be opened today. It is expected that draft laws concerning the aid package to be offered by the U.S. Government to Turkey in the aftermath of the earthquake disaster will also be discussed by Congress. It is reported that U.S. President Bill Clinton will present a proposal consisting of $300 million in economic aid for Turkey so as to support its reconstruction efforts to the Senate and the House of Representatives. /Aksam/[22] TURKEY INVITED TO BRUSSELSTurkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will take part in the General Affairs Council of the EU to be held in Brussels on September 13 and is expected to deliver a 'long and effective speech'. During the meeting, in addition to the earthquake disaster in Turkey, developments in the EU economy, EU policy and security will be discussed. /Cumhuriyet/[23] AID CONCERTS CANCELLEDVarious events jointly organized by the Greek Labour Confederation and the Turkish Confederations, Turk-Is, DISK, Hak-Is and KESK to help the victims of the earthquake in Turkey were cancelled due to the earthquake which occurred in Athens yesterday. Turkish singer Zulfu Livaneli and Greek singers Mikis Theodorakis and Maria Faranduri were supposed to stage a joint concert for the victims. Zulfu Livaneli stated that the concerts would be put on some time in the future. /Cumhuriyet/[24] OCALAN WELCOMES GEN.KIVRIKOGLU'S STATEMENTSThe head of the PKK terrorist organization, Abdullah Ocalan, who is currently imprisoned on Imrali Island, said that he welcomed the statements made by the Chief of General Staff, Gen.Huseyin Kivrikoglu, and added that if the amnesty goes into effect and a legal guarantee is ensured, then PKK members will participate in the legal process instead of leaving Turkey. Ocalan remarked that the demand for cultural freedom and democracy was a positive step and added: "For the continuation of the peace process, some practical steps should be taken". /Cumhuriyet/[25] 11 PEOPLE DETAINEDIn four raids carried out by members of Istanbul Security Office's Anti-Narcotic Department, 108,000 capsules of Captagon, four kilos of heroin and five kilos of hashish, the market value of which totals 250 billion TL, were seized yesterday. Eleven people were detained in connection with the incident. /Cumhuriyet/[26] DCR PROPOSES PARTIAL RISK GUARANTEE SYSTEMDuff and Phelps (DCR), an international credit rating company, informed the government that if Turkey utilizes the Partial Risk Guarantee System, the credit rating of international earthquake bonds can be increased to BBB (+) by the World Bank. According to an announcement by IBAR_Duff and Phelps, DCR's representative in Turkey, if the financial requirements for renovation as well as for environmental and housing projects in the earthquake-stricken areas are met by the Turkish Government by using the World Bank's Partial Risk Guarantee system, then the DCR will reclassify these projects so that international bond exports can be processed at ratings five times greater than the current country rating of BB (-). /All papers/[27] AT LEAST 100,000 HOUSES ARE NEEDEDThe Head of the Union of European Constructors, Atilla Senol, stated that at least 100,000 houses were needed in the disaster region and added that this would cost $2.5 billion this year. Senol remarked that he had had a round of talks with 30,000 members of the Union and added that the members were ready to offer both spiritual and material assistance to Turkey. Meanwhile, prefabricated houses to be set up for 200 families by the Philsa and Philips Morris SA company in the Korfez district of Kocaeli will be delivered by the end of this month. /Sabah/[28] RIB IN ROMANIAThe Romanian International Bank SA (RIB), a partner of Sumerbank, will open five branches in Romania by the end of this year. The Treasury Director of the RIB, Georghe Vasile, said that the five new branches would be in Iasi, Bacau, Craiova, Constana and Ploiesti. /Sabah/[29] DEMIREL'S MESSAGETurkish President Suleyman Demirel sent a message to his Greek counterpart Constantinos Stephanopoulos due to the earthquake in Atheens yesterday in which he expressed his sorrow. He pointed out that Turkey would be in solidarity with the Greek people. /Sabah/[30] PAPANDREU'S CALL FOR BUSINESSMENThe Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreu has called on Greek businessmen to hold talks with Turkish businessmen. Papandreu wants Greek businessmen to also carry out joint work in the reconstruction of the Balkans. /Sabah/[31] 12 IBDA_C MEMBERS CAPTUREDDuring raids carried out against the illegal IBDA/C organization in Istanbul, 12 IBDA/C members were captured yesterday. Officials said that raids were still underway. /Sabah/[32] CELEBRATION CANCELLEDThe German Embassy in Ankara stated that the celebration, which is held on 3th September every year has been cancelled due to the earthquake disaster in Turkey. Furthermore, all the manies allocated to this celebration would be sent to the earthquake victims, reported the Anatolian News Agency.The Turkish Ambassador to Germany, Hans-Joachim Vergau, stated in a letter that the Embassy and the German people had been deeply saddened to see people suffering due to the earthquke disaster. they have shared the sorrows of the injured and those who have lost their loved ones and their homes. "Solidarity between us and our Turkish friends involves sacrificing this celebration this year. All the money allocated to reunification celebrations will be added to the donation that will be sent from Germany", said Vergau. [33] OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME AN EU MEMBERThe General Secretary of the Economic Development Foundation (EDF), Emre Gonen, said, "After the latest developments, it is clearly understood that Greece will not be an obstacle to Turkey's becoming a member of the EU." He added that the latest developments between these two countries were encouraging. Gonen, stating that a country's international relations cannot be dependent on another country's enmity, said, "It was extremely hard for both of these countries to live in such an atmosphere of tension. The earthquake was an opportunity to overcome this. There have been significant changes in attitude in Greece. It is possible to understand that, following the latest developments, Turkey's membership to the EU and the EU's donation package will not be hindered by Greece. However, Greece has not promised to dispose of the veto yet. "Gonen also stated that the Turkish business world had been gearing up to become more involved than before in relations between Turkey and Greece. "In order to activate ties between these two countries, we will hold a meeting with the Greek Business Council in two weeks' time at which a common declaration will be explained. Now a positive atmosphere exists. In order to fertilize the present potential, we should also use political decrees and more conventional systems," said Gonen. /Turkiye/ [34] WATER FOR THE TRNCDrilling undertaken by the Directorate General of the Mineral Research and Administration Institute (MRAI) has come to an end. The MRAI's aim was to find a permanent solution to the TRNC's problem of drinking water. The Directorate General of the MRAI launched the drilling as part of its "Investigation into and Improvement of Natural Sources" project. The Director General of the MRAI, Cengiz Atak, stated that the majority of TRNC's need for water would be met by these wells./Turkiye/[35] CANDIDATE COUNTRY ATTITUDE FOR TURKISH BUSINESSMENTurkey's EU candidacy has been confirmed firstly by the European private sector. The European Economic Social Council and the European Commission arranged a meeting yesterday. TUSIAD's Brussels Representative, Bahadir Kaleagasi, and the Chairman of the ISO, Husamettin Kavi, attended the meeting from Turkey, together with 30 representatives from 13 countries. Kaleagasi said that although the candidacy of Turkey has not been confirmed yet by the EU, the attitude of the European Economic Social Council and the European Commission presupposes that Turkey is a candidate. /Milliyet/[36] DOCUMENTARY FROM JAPANThe Japanish television channel NHK is preparing a documentary film about the earthquake disaster in Turkey. The documentary will also be marketed to the world. The project is being carried out by a 10-person team, led by a architect from Shibaura Technology Institute, Prof.Masashi Hayashi. The Japanish team has prepared a number of earthquake documentaries up to now. The documentary will consist of three sections: a scientific section, explaining how tremors occur; an educational section, showing the damage in the buildings and revealing construction faults and a section explaining what the government did before and after the quake and talking about the aid efforts. In the last section, an answer will also be sought to the question: 'What should a government do after a quake?' The NHK is a member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the Asian Broadcasting Union (ABU). In case of an agreement, the documentary will also be sold to television channels world-wide. /Milliyet/[37] NEW OBSTACLE ON THE PATH TO EUIt seems that Turkey's 'traditional opponent', Greece, has changed places with a 'new opponent', Sweden, on the path to her EU candidacy. Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh proposed a 'Road Map' for Turkey last week during the Finland Summit. While Ankara doesn't reject most of the articles, which are in line with the Copenhagen Criteria, their priority in a possible candidacy calender and also highlighting Turco-Greek issues, seems to bring the EU's Scandinavian Wing and Turkey face-to-face one more time. /Milliyet/[38] GREEK FRIENDSHIP AWARD FOR ERDAL INONUThe Greek Friendship Award will be given this year to Prof.Erdal Inonu. The award has been given every two years to commemorate the famous Greek physician 'Soranos from Ephesus'. Prof. Dr. Sinan Beksac, from Hacettepe University, said that the award would make a positive contribution to Turco-Greek relations during this sensitive period. The Award ceremony will be held in Olympia, Greece on September 10. /Milliyet/[39] TEN YEARS' IMPRISONMENT FOR LEADER OF DHKP_CMesut Demirel, who was being held in custody and tried as one of the leaders of the DHKP_C organization, has been sent to prison for 10 years. Mesut Demirel has been standing trial at Hamburg's Oberlandesgericht Court since January, accused of continuing its terrorist activities in Germany. Ilhan Yelkuvan is in prison with Demirel at Hamburg Prison and Yelkuvan is still awaiting a verdict on his case. /Cumhuriyet/[40] THANKING GREECE WITH CARNATIONSSome of the associations in Izmir laid a wreath of yellow and red carnations at the Greek Embassy in order to thank them for their sensitivity towards the earthquake victims. The West Thracian Turks' Cooperation Association's Branch President in Izmir, Muhittin Soyuturk, stated that it was not too late for friendship. He also asked the Greek government, who had created this atmosphere of warmth, to take one more step and to do what could be done to stop all the resentment which has existed in the past./Turkiye/[41] WASHINGTON RECKLESS FOR CYPRUSThe U.S.A's representative in Cyprus, Thomas Weston, will touch on certain subjects in Ankara today concerning solutions to the Cyprus issue. Before the Turkish Prime Minister Ecevit's visit to the U.S.A, the U.S.A will examine the possible solutions for the Island.Wetson, who became the Cyprus representative after Richard Holbrooke and Tom Miller, will meet the State Minister responsible for Cyprus affairs, Sukru Sina Gurel, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Deputy Advisor, Ambassador Faruk Logoglu in Ankara today. The representative from the U.S.A, will go to New York and meet the TRNC's President, Rauf Denktas after leaving Turkey. Weston will check on Ankara's aims concerning possible solutions for the TRNC. In a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Weston is not expected to present a "definite plan" to Ankara. Officials, stating that Turkey was not briefed formally about the outline solution that was published in the Greek-Cypriot press, said, "It is impossible to accept the plan in its published form in the press." Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out that Turkey's policy on Cyprus was clear and that this situation was known by the U.S.A. /Cumhuriyet/ [42] YILMAZ VISITS THE U.S.A.The Motherland Party's (ANAP) chairman, Mesut Yilmaz, has gone to the U.S.A before the Prime Minister, Bulent Ecevit, is due to go there on 26th September. It was interesting to see that Mesut Yilmaz, who is planning to take the place of President Suleyman Demirel, whose term of office will come to an end in May 2000, went to the U.S.A. in spite of the fact that this journey was not on the political agenda. It was stated that Yilmaz would visit his son, who is a student at Washington University, and would touch on certain subjects at the same time in the U.S.A. However, there has no information about the content of Yilmaz's meetings. It was reported that Yilmaz, who will return to Turkey on 19th September, will go to Moscow in order to attend some meetings and be present at the foundation-laying ceremonies of the business centres constructed by some Turkish businessmen there. Furthermore, Yilmaz changed his mind and has decided not to go to Germany. It was stated that the Deputy Chairman of the Motherland Party, Bulent Akarcali, would attend the European Democrats Association's (EDA) meeting that will be held in Germany. /Cumhuriyet/[43] TURKEY HUNTS DOWN MOLDOVA TODAYOur national football team, which is aiming for the European Championship Final in the year 2000, will play against the Moldovian national team today. Turkey needs to win the match against the Moldovia today, in order to say "even a draw would be enough" while playing against the German national team on 9th October. The match, which will be refereed by Andreas Schluchter, Laurent Rausis and Dominique Rossier from Switzerland, will begin at 20:30 at the Kisinev Republican Stadium. /Turkiye/[44] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...[45] TURKEY HAS TO FREE ITSELF -BY TUFAN TURENC (HURRIYET)Columnist Tufan Turenc comments on the statements by the Chairman of High Court of Appeals at the opening of the new legal year. A summary of his column is as follows:"The statements by the Chairman of the High Court of Appeals, Sami Selcuk, point out some important facts even though his style may be considered too harsh by some. Selcuk wants the Republic to enjoy more democracy, and be directed according to more strict legal principles. He desires the State to be restructured to answer to the needs of the modern age. Therefore, he claims that intervention by the State falls contrary to the concept of democracy in our day and age and should be corrected. Furthermore, he criticises the limits placed on freedom of expression. These are all Turkey's weaknesses which are criticised by modern democratic countries. The intellectuals of the country have all stated this and expressed their opinion on how to correct them. Certainly, it becomes more strikingly apparent when these facts are voiced by the Chairman of the High Court of Appeals. However, the politicians are unable to take the radical steps needed to eliminate these shortcomings. They have not even been able to make the legal arrangements needed to free those convicted of expressing their opinions. Sami Selcuk also states that it is impossible in pluralistic democracies to keep religion under the thumb of the State. However this may be true, it should not be forgotten that in those societies there are no political parties which aim to take their countries back to the darkness of the Middle Ages. There are no organizations training new generations to establish a State in accordance with religious principles which were valid 1,400 years ago. No-one in those societies insult or injure the values considered precious by all. In short, there the organizations which could threaten the existence of democracy or the country cannot act as freely as in Turkey. It is a fact that Turkey is under pressure today. Political and social problems are escalating with every passing day. The Constitution and laws remain insufficient in the face of the requirements of the country. Turkey can free itself from this situation only by implementing a wider concept of democracy and the Chairman of the High Court of Appeals is stressing this point." [46] SOCIAL DYNAMICS -BY TAHA AKYOL (MILLIYET)Columnist Taha Akyol writes on social dynamics and the voicing of demands by the public in Turkey. A summary of his column is as follows:"State Minister Mehmet Ali Irtemcelik states that the demand to renew the Constitution has reached a social consensus. He said, "The most important process Turkey is passing through is social dynamism. Today, society is criticising and voicing its demands. This dynamism coming from the people will eventually affect the administration." In fact, during the history of the Ottoman Empire and the Turkish Republic the driving force had always been the "State". Today, the people are silent no longer and have become more active as processes like the market economy, education and urbanization spread all over the country: we are getting away from the tradition of seeing Statesmen as dem-gods; we have begun to criticise the State sharply and express our demands; people are becoming aware of their duties as citizens. Not only social and political demands are voiced according to Irtemcelik, but a social solidarity is also being seen. Non-governmental organizations are becoming important in Turkey. The Minister also notes that this movement from the people to the Administration will force changes in the Constitution, politics, legal system, administration and human rights. He adds that there may be problems in Turkey, but the country is advancing positively and this social dynamism will also be a foreign policy power. I am optimistic and believe that we will keep up with the modern age due to this social dynamism." Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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