News Scan, 22nd Jan: EU calls on Turkey to respect rule of law, separation of powers

EU calls on Turkey to respect rule of law, separation of powers

“In our talks we addressed the current developments in Turkey since Dec. 17. I stressed that Turkey as a candidate country is committed to respect the political criteria of accession, including the application of the rule of law and separation of powers,” said European Council President Herman Van Rompuy in his opening statement at the press conference.

“It is important not to backtrack on achievements and to assure that the judiciary is able to function without discrimination or preference in a transparent and impartial manner, and I welcome further dialogue on this between Turkey and the EU,” he added.

“We have followed the events closely and I have today relayed the European concerns to Prime Minister Erdoğan — as an honest friend and partner. I made the point about what exactly is happening today in Turkey,” said Barroso.

“I was quite happy during the discussion because the Prime Minister Erdoğan, in a very frank and open manner, addressed all the issues and gave us reassurances of his intention to fully respect the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and, generally speaking, the separation of powers. I think these are fundamental principles of democracy and they are, in the first place, in Turkey’s very own national political and economic interest. But also they are a central and vital element of the Copenhagen criteria for the EU accession negotiations,” he added. “I am therefore confident that the Turkish government will swiftly address the issues we have raised, and I believe that structural reforms are a challenging process, which is not straightforward. We know how challenging some of the issues that Turkey is now confronting are, but I want to state very clearly that Turkey is not alone in this, and we stand ready to support you, prime minister, with our experience on these matters,” Barroso said.

TODAYS ZAMAN

CHP leader reveals undersecretary’s threats to prosecutor over graft probe

An official report shared by main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu during his party’s parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday revealed that Justice Ministry Undersecretary Kenan İpek threatened the İzmir chief public prosecutor to stop a tender-rigging investigation in the province of İzmir on Jan. 6.

In addition, İpek allegedly wanted the chief public prosecutor to remove the prosecutor conducting the probe from his post. Addressing his party’s deputies on Tuesday, Kılıçdaroğlu made public an official report dated Jan. 7 and signed by İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor Hüseyin Baş. In the report, Baş stated that the suspects had been listed as per the Code on Criminal Procedure (CMK) Articles No. 135 and 140 and that the authorized court had given permission to search and detain suspects on Jan. 6 as part of investigation file number 2011/12445.

The suspects were being monitored by the İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on charges of establishing and being part of a criminal organization, corruption, tender-rigging, embezzlement and aggravated fraud. Baş claims that at 7:38 p.m. on Jan. 6, after the court order to conduct the operation and detain suspects had been sent to the police department, İpek called and asked him to remove the public prosecutor conducting the investigation immediately. However, Baş says he refused to follow through with the order because that there was no practice that would allow this under the law. “After a four-minute conversation, the undersecretary told me to stop the investigation, to withdraw the court decision from the police department and also to remove the public prosecutor from his post. He ended the conversation by stating he would be waiting for my answer,” Baş said in the report.

TODAYS ZAMAN

Human Rights Watch report slams Turkey over growing intolerance

The Turkish government is demonstrating a growing intolerance of political opposition, public protest and critical media, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in an annual report Jan. 21.

“Harsh police crackdowns on protesters, a muzzled press, unfair trials, and a deeply flawed criminal justice system have marked Prime Minister [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan’s government’s human rights record in 2013,” said Emma Sinclair-Webb, senior researcher for Turkey at the New York-based organization.

“The crackdown overshadowed efforts toward peace with the Kurds, but unless the government is prepared to uphold everyone’s right to assembly, association, and free speech, the chances of solving the Kurdish issue are remote,” she said.

The 667-page report, presented in Berlin, examines the state of human rights in more than 90 countries. Though it is highly critical of Turkey, it praised the Turkish government for taking positive initial steps in a peace process with the country’s Kurdish minority, announcing talks with imprisoned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan to end the decades-long armed conflict with the armed group. The report also cited “positive steps” that the government had taken in 2013, such as the announcement of a “democratization package” of reforms, ending the headscarf ban for women in the civil service, signaling that the 10 percent election threshold that has kept minority parties out of Parliament would be lowered, and easing the restriction on mother-tongue education by permitting it in private schools.

HURRIYET DAILY NEWS

Syria-bound trucks put spotlight on Turkey

Already shaken by a debilitating corruption and bribery scandal, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is now confronted with another potential scandal involving weapons allegedly being supplied secretly by Turkey to the Syrian opposition, including radical elements that are under increasing international scrutiny.

Turkish opposition politicians and many in the public are questioning why trucks associated with Turkish intelligence may have been carrying arms to radical groups in Syria.

Not wasting the opportunity, some opposition deputies are even going overboard and claiming that this affair will carry Erdogan and members of his government to the International War Crimes Tribunal in Hague.

The topic flared up again after more Syria-bound trucks were intercepted by Turkish security forces on Jan. 19 following tip-offs which reportedly indicated their cargo contained illegal arms.

www.al-monitor.com

Turkish machinery exports up 8 percent in 2013

Turkey’s machinery exports rose by 8 percent year-on-year, reaching USD 14 billion in 2013, according to a statement by the Machinery and Accessories Exporters’ Union of Turkey (MAIB).

“The increase in machinery exports went unhindered during 2012 and 2013 despite the not-so-bright situation in some of the export markets”, MAIB Chairman Adnan Dalgakiran said in a written statement. Pointing out the 8 percent increase last year, Dalgakiran said that the new year target was set at USD 16 billion due to the expected recovery in world markets. Turkey’s total exports reached a total of USD 151.7 billion in 2013.

“Last year, Turkish machinery shipments to Germany and the US increased by 10 and 15 percent, respectively. Registering an increase of machinery exports to developed countries at a time of global uncertainties is very encouraging”, Dalgakiran remarked.

European countries remain the main recipients of Turkish machinery shipments in the sector’s 200+ country export portfolio. The product groups that Turkey exports include; air conditioning units-cooling machinery, construction & mining machinery, engines & spares and metal working machinery. The industry aims to export USD 100 billion of products by 2023, the centennial of the Republic.

INVEST.GOV.TR

22.01.2014

This is a news-scan from major Turkish papers and internet sites. However, we do not verify above stories neither do we vouch for their accuracy.