Erkan's field diary

Article 301 Changes Proposed

By Jenny White

After years of foot-dragging, the government has submitted a proposal to Parliament to amend the infamous Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, which has been used to to prosecute intellectuals, journalists and activists for “insulting Turkishness.” (See my March 21 blog entry on Ms. Erin Keskin’s recent conviction under Article 301.)

Bureaucrats give AKP gov't to-do list on EU

Turkey's Secretariat General for European Union Affairs provided the government with a dossier of urgent reforms that need to be implemented in one year, with the number one priority being the

‘We need to recreate the EU excitement’

By KERİM BALCI

The response of the European Union to the closure case filed against the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) came as a surprise to many.

The İstanbul Center in Brussels

Do Turks still believe that the European Union is trying to weaken and divide their country when they seem to be doing such a good job of it all by themselves?

EU to wait and see on Turkey

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said he was adopting a "wait-and-see" attitude toward EU hopeful Turkey

Germans prefer Antalya, Britons favor Muğla

Turkey is a focus of attraction for foreign property-seeking interests from all around the world, but the highest demand comes from Europeans, in particular, from Germans and Britons. This demand is not fragmented, however, as nationals of other countries tend to buy property in the same locale. For example, Germans primarily purchase property in Antalya whereas

'AKP closure case could imperil EU bid'

A court hearing over the legality of Turkey's ruling party could imperil the country's progress toward European Union membership, said a group of leading European observers and intellectuals from

Turkish origins Euro parliamentarian slams closure case

The European Union considers the lawsuit demanding the closure of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) a disgrace to democracy, European Parliament Socialist Group

European diplomats are European, I presume

When I read the news item in yesterday's Hürriyet about preparations of European Union diplomats in Ankara for EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso's visit, I suddenly realized that the infamous "community pressure" peculiar to us is also at work for Europeans living with us.

Retire to the Sun : 73,000 foreigners 'own Turkish property'

Will EU be back on Turkey's agenda?

Sylvia TİRYAKİ

'Judicial coup could lead to political instability'

Turkey is at war with itself again, over religion and politics in Turkish life, and the consequences for both itself and its friends could be devastating, said an article published in the U.S. weekly Newsweek

Turkey's EU bid runs into trouble | EuropeNews

Germany's Turkish minority | Two unamalgamated worlds | Economist.com

AKP discusses alternatives on closure case

Lawmakers of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) discussed a set of alternatives on a constitutional amendment package to make closure of political parties more difficult during the

Erdoğan's toughest test

Bülent ALIRIZA

Umut Oran: A brand new CHP candidate

Cüneyt ÜLSEVER

EU's regional policy and Kurdish question

CENGİZ AKTAR

Isn't an expanded NATO better for Turkey?

İlter TÜRKMEN

Yusuf Kanlı: Secularism or democracy?

As if either might be sacrificed for the other, some naïve people keep asking the same question in several formats: “Do you say secularism is more important than democracy and that democracy could be sacrificed for the sake of secularism?”It is a rather tricky question like that famous one about the egg and chicken. Friends in the foreign media keep stressing “Turkey can only become a truly European state when and if it manages to see that democracy is far more important than secularism and stops demanding concessions from democracy just to defend a sui generis understanding of secularism as the backbone of the Turkish state.”Some friends in the Islamist media share an identical approach as

AKP foots the bill for turning away from EU

Mehmet Ali Birand

Another false dawn? Cyprus

The New York Times (USA), March 28, 2008

By Alvaro de Soto

The history of attempts to overcome the division of Cyprus can be measured out in false dawns. One or another leader could always be relied on to stand athwart the effort and yell ”no!” Support from either Ankara or Athens would go missing.  But last Friday, the newly minted Greek Cypriot leader, Demetris Cristofias, and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart, Mehmet Ali Talat, agreed to begin a new effort. Why should we be excited?

So Rehn is also a 'Gülenist'

By SELÇUK GÜLTAŞLI, ZAMAN

In making a series of back-to-back public statements last week, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn stood up not for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), but for Turkish democracy.

Sinking the state while busy discussing it

By ESER KARAKAŞ, STAR

The very concept of a state and what it means is one of the subjects we discuss the most. It is also a concept which we have managed to glorify on a meaningless level; while doing this, it is a concept which has, in real life, "scraped bottom."

Coups gain strength from party despotism

By KORAY DÜZGÖREN, YENİ ŞAFAK

Since it has only ever been members of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) who have carried out coups in this nation, they have never been tried or interrogated for their coup attempts, nor has the matter of their interrogation ever been brought to the agenda.

Bourgeoisie acting like it's scared

By ENGİN ARDIÇ, SABAH

So what exactly happened when the head prosecutor from the Supreme Court of Appeals brought a case against the ruling administration to court?

An uphill battle awaits AK Party

Repercussions from the closure case filed against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) are being felt more strongly with each passing day by both the Turkish economy and politics.