Dutch election offers huge relief for other EU governments EurActiv.com by Georgi Gotev Exit polls showing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD) far ahead of Geert Wilders and his Freedom Party (PVV) were greeted with relief in Brussels yesterday night (15 March), amid fears of a surge in populism in Europe, with elections in France and … Read more
The Slavery Next Door: In Conversation with Amy Romer The British photographer documenting sites of abuse, coercion and modern day slavery in towns and cities throughout Britain ************** Munich Security Conference: Start of a post-Western era? EurActiv.com by Daniel Mützel The Western world order as we know it is at risk, according to the annual Munich Security … Read more
Soros-linked NGOs defy Orban purge EUobserver.com – Headline News Hungarian NGOs funded by philanthropist George Soros have vowed to defy prime minister Viktor Orban’s plan to “sweep them out” of the country. Malta rejects tax haven accusations EUobserver.com – Headline News Finance minister Scicluna said that a report published by Green MEPs was “unfair” and … Read more
Berlin lorry attack: Man films chaos moments after truck hits BBC News | Europe | World Edition An eyewitness describes filming “horrible scenes” moments after a lorry ploughed into a Christmas market in Berlin. Berlin Christmas market attack ‘affects all Europe’ EurActiv.com by Frédéric Simon French President François Hollande and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker sent … Read more
Police who shot dead Gezi protester fined $2,800 Hurriyet Daily News A court in Istanbul has fined a police officer who shot dead a protester during the 2013 Gezi Park protests. Turkey’s high court receives 60,000 applications since July 15 coup attempt: Top Judge Hurriyet Daily News Some 60,000 individual applications have been made to … Read more
EU’s Galileo satellite system goes live after 17 years BBC News | Europe | World Edition Europe launches its long-delayed Galileo satellite system, aiming to be the world’s most accurate. Romania: a social democratic anomaly in eastern Europe? open Democracy News Analysis – by Cornel Ban Romania should be the ideal playground for right-populist parties, … Read more
Murder in Istanbul BBC News | Europe | World Edition Twelve men from the countries of the former USSR have been assassinated in Turkey, and there’s evidence that some of the hitmen were from Russia. Istanbul’s housing prices decline amid oversupply Hurriyet Daily News Property prices have dropped up to 20 percent in several parts … Read more
Iranian-Turkish tug-of-war over Kurds al-monitor.com – Dec 13, 1:50 AM Author: Pinar Tremblay December 13, 2016 A few weeks before the devastating Dec. 10 twin bombings in Istanbul — for which Kurdish militants claimed responsibility — Al-Monitor spoke with several sources well-connected with Ankara Turkey drops case against Israeli officers in Gaza flotilla killings BBC News … Read more
European judiciary network votes to suspend observer status of Turkey’s HSYK The European Network of Councils for the Judiciary (ENCJ) on Dec. 8 decided to suspend the observer status of the Turkish High Council for Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), citing concerns that the body is no longer sufficiently independent from the state’s executive and legislature branches. … Read more
Devlet Bahçeli gazing at photos of HDP deputies in jail… ************ ‘The Following‘ TV series suggested to understand FETÖ, Turkey … Daily Sabah–Dec 6, 2016 “The Following,’ an American television drama series, might be a good example to understand the structure of the FETÖ” the booklet said… Turkish man gives away free tombstones to anyone … Read more
AKP, MHP agree on presidential system The leaders of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have agreed to submit a charter draft, which grants more executive powers to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to parliament next week, after the two leaders reviewed the text in a meeting on Dec. … Read more
Erdoğan’s Target was Assad Yesterday, Just Organizations Today Bianet :: English Explaining that purpose of Turkey’s military offensive into Syria is to “put an end to Assad’s governing” two days ago, Erdoğan today said that their target is not a country or a person. Dutch Ask E.U. to Pressure Turkey Over Crackdown NYT > Turkey by By … Read more
Turkey entered Syria to end al-Assad’s rule: President Erdoğan President Erdoğan admits that Turkey crossed into Syria to get rid of President Bashar al-Assad having previously highlighted the fight against ISIL Erdoğan’s remarks on Turkish operation ‘to end al-Assad rule’ to be discussed during Lavrov visit President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s recent assertion that the Turkish military operation … Read more
Commission won’t call Castro a dictator EUobserver.com – Headline News The EU executive says that a statement decribing the former Cuban leader as a “hero for many” is balanced and suggests that the use of the word dictator by a commissioner doesn’t reflect its position. France’s next President could be an Islamophobic “Thatcherite” who wants to dismantle … Read more
Poll: Turks somehow liberal on rhetoric but not in practice “We came up with a set of questions related to liberal values and tried to figure out whether Turkey is indeed, as some outsiders might perceive, a country devoid of liberalism, or whether liberal and democratic values have in fact taken root in Turkish society,” writes … Read more