Tuesday, 30 June 2009
These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on June 30, 2009. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET
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TURKISH PREMIER, TOP GENERAL MEET AHEAD OF SECURITY COUNCIL
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug held a tete-a-tete meeting on Monday. The "extraordinary" meeting between Erdogan and Basbug came ahead of a National Security Council (MGK) meeting today which is expected to take up an alleged anti-government plot document. The request came from Basbug as the meeting was announced to address the agenda of the MGK. Basbug reportedly told the premier that the General Staff had not given any order for drafting the document. He said a law which would
allow civilian courts to try military personnel could cause an institutional
problem. Basbug also reportedly urged the National Intelligence Agency to find out who was behind the alleged plot document.
THREE MESSAGES FROM TURKISH PRESIDENT
Turkish President Abdullah Gul spoke to journalists aboard his plane enroute to Turkey from China on Monday. The president gave three messages over the recent political issues. Gul said today's meeting of the National Security Council was an important one but "we should not put Turkey in an extraordinary situation." On a proposal to bring the members of the 1980 military junta before justice, Gul said legal issues should be left to legal bodies. Gul called for maximum caution against those who may want to disturb harmony between institutions. The Turkish president also said he might send a law that would open the way for civilian courts to try military personnel back to the parliament if it had violated the constitution.
MILLIYET
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PROSECUTORS WAITED FOR COLONELS ALL DAY LONG
The eight colonels whom the Ergenekon prosecutors wanted to take testimonies of, did not go to the court house on Monday. The colonels are expected to go to the court house today. It was claimed that the eight navy colonels were the officers whose offices and homes were searched during the last operation where lawyer Serdar Ozturk was arrested. According to sources, the eight colonels, one of which is retired, will be interrogated about the documents seized during the police search.
CRITICAL MEETING BEFORE MGK
The National Security Council (MGK) meeting, to which Gen. Ilker Basbug said he would carry the "action plan for the fight against reactionary movements" will be held today. On the eve of the critical MGK, Basbug and Erdogan had an 1.5 hour meeting. Because this meeting lasted expected than longer the Cabinet meeting was delayed. Prior to his meeting with Basbug, Erdogan met with the Justice Minister at his residence.
SABAH
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11TH STOP ON THE ROAD TO EU
The 11th chapter heading in Turkey's accession negotiations with the EU, the tax chapter, is being opened in the last day of the Czech EU Presidency. According to sources, Sweden, which is taken over the EU Presidency on Wednesday, aims to open at least two more chapters to negotiations in 2009.
MIDNIGHT TENSION FOR GENERALS
The midnight amendment in the parliament on the Code of Penal Procedures which confronted the government with the opposition, cleared doubts in the jural process for generals and admirals, against whom there may be evidence suggesting their involvement in a military coup plot. While under the Ergenekon probe only colonels and junior officers could be arrested, taken into custody, interrogated, and/or their homes and offices could be searched, with the new amendment the same can be done against generals and admirals.
TURKEY-PRESS SCAN (2)
These are some of the major headlines and their
summaries in Turkish press on June 30, 2009. The Anadolu Agency does not verify
these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
VATAN
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TWO CRITICAL ISSUES ON PREMIER-GENERAL SUMMIT
Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug held a meeting on Monday. It was reported that Basbug conveyed information and intelligence to the premier over an alleged anti-government plot document. The two were also said to have discussed an amended law which would open the way for military personnel to stand trial before civilian courts. After the meeting National Intelligence Agency Director Emre Taner went to the General Staff Headquarters upon an order from Erdogan. Taner and Basbug were said to have had a tete-a-tete meeting first and joined other general in a separate meeting.
GUL SAYS MAY RETURN LAW ON CIVILAN TRIAL OF MILITARY PERSONNEL IF NEED BE
Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Monday he might return a law that would allow civilian courts to try military personnel if such a need arose. "I do not preside an institution where I take my decisions according to a political ideology. We are assessing legal issues very thoroughly and carefully. The law might be approved or it might be returned to the parliament for re-consideration," Gul said.
GOVERNMENT TO CUT DOWN ON RED TAPE
Turkish government has moved to reduce red tape in public services,
government spokesman said Monday. Citizens would no longer be asked to produce forms in over 420 official procedures. Public notary registers and criminal record sheets would not be sought either in 215 procedures.
CUMHURIYET
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9 OFFICERS DID NOT SHOW UP FOR TESTIMONY
Colonel Dursun Cicek, who has allegedly signed the "Action Plan for Fight against Reactionary Movement" and the 8 officers whose names are involved in the Ergenekon probe did not show up at the court house for testimony on Monday. The prosecutor office who is running the investigation, had summoned Colonel Cicek to give testimony following the non-jurisdiction and non-suit decision of the military prosecutor's office. The prosecutor's office had also summoned the eight other officers for their testimonies in connection with the search in the War Colleges. The nine officers are expected to go to the court house today for testimony.
HANDWRITING OF LIU. COL DONMEZ WILL BE EXAMINED
The Military Court decided for an examination into whether the handwriting on the map which was allegedly found in the residence of Lieutenant Colonel Donmez --who is on trial in connection with the weapons and explosives recovered from underground in the Zir valley-- belongs to him or not. The Military Police Officers who were present during the search in the logging of Donmez will also bear testimony. While Donmez said, "this operation was carried out by the police.
The National Intelligence Agency may also have been involved in it," his lawyer accused the Police Department of manufacturing evidence.
RADIKAL
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DONMEZ JUST LIKE A CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR: "I HAVE NEVER EVEN HELD A GUN IN MY LIFE"
Yarbay Donmez who is arrested under the Ergenekon probe, said during the court hearing of the case filed by the military prosecutor's Office that the map leading to the weapons in the Zir Valley did not belong to him, and the map was not examined thoroughly. The map was sent to the forensic department. The personnel who partook in the search at the house of Donmez will also bear testimony.
Donmez who pointed out the contradictions in the police report regarding the search in the Zir valley said: "I have never even held a gun in my life. When my friends came to my summer house in Sapanca for hunting boars, I would ask them not to kill those living things. How could I have planned an assassination against the prime minister."
TURK-IS LABOUR UNION CALLS FOR STRIKE
While collective bargaining for public services is about to conclude,
Turk-Is labour union which is demanding a 20 percent raise for salaries announced they would launch sit-down strikes in front of the work places if their demands were not met.
TURKIYE
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ERDOGAN, BASBUG MEET AHEAD OF CRITICAL SECURITY COUNCIL
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug held a tete-a-tete meeting ahead of today's meeting of the National Security Council (MGK). Erdogan and Basbug were said to have discussed the agenda of the MGK meeting. The two also reportedly took up an alleged anti-government plot document and a law that would allow civilian courts to try military personnel.
COLONELS NO SHOW FOR TESTIMONY
Nine colonels have failed to show up on Monday at a n Istanbul court house after they were called by prosecutors of the Ergenekon probe to give testimony as suspects regarding an alleged anti-government plot document. Among the nine, Colonel Dursun Cicek was accused of drafting the alleged plot document.
ZAMAN
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TURKISH PRESIDENT CALLS FOR PROTECTION OF HARMONY BETWEEN STATE INSTITUTIONS
Turkish President Abdullah Gul made important statements to journalists aboard his plane enroute to Turkey from China. "The harmony between state organs are of utmost importance. We have to protect institutions that represent Turkey," he said.
THEIR HOPE IN ERGENEKON PROBE
Families of seven people including a thirteen year-old children who were lost 15 years ago in Mardin after they were taken under custody are searching a hope in the Ergenekon probe. The families want to learn about the fate of their loved ones even if they have given up hope to finding them alive. The families moved to have their cases to be included within the Ergenekon probe.
YENI SAFAK
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AMENDMENT MADE FOR EU HARMONIZATION, NOT INTENDED FOR COLONEL CICEK
During Monday's meeting between Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug, the amendment allowing the trial of soldiers involved in military coup plots by civil courts, was discussed. The amendment was not intended for Col. Dursun Cicek but was made for EU harmonization, sources said. The meeting which was held on the eve of today's National Security Council meeting with Gen. Ilker Basbug's demand lasted 95 minutes. The Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin which came to the Prime Ministry with Erdogan's official car did not attend the meeting. Erdogan who reacted to the depiction of the amendment as against the Turkish Armed Forces, is not sympathetic to withdrawal or proposals
for changes in the law and was determined for its implementation.
MEDIA CAME, COLONEL DID NOT SHOW UP
Colonel Dursun Cicek who allegedly drafted the "Action Plan with Reactionary Movements" and who was summoned by Ergenekon prosecutors to bear testimony, did not show up at the court house. A big number of live-broadcast vehicles were ready waiting for the colonel to show up.
