ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on July 1, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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SEIZE PROPERTY OF THOSE WHO EMPTY COFFERS WITHOUT JUDGMENT
Radical measures took place in the report of the Parliamentary Commission to Investigate Corruption regarding the officials of sunken banks who caused 40 billion U.S. dollars of loss for Turkey. The Commission which will send some former ministers to High Tribunal asked the state to seize properties of the officials of the sunken banks. The report said, ''you should seize the properties without waiting for the decision of the court; otherwise, the loss of the state is increasing each passing day.'' The Commission will submit the report to the Office of Parliament Speaker on Friday.
UNITED STATES INVITES GUL
U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell has finally invited his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul to Washington. Gul is expected to go to the United States in the last week of July. In this visit, Bush administration can demand soldiers from Turkey to contribute to stability in Iraq.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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FIRST LESSON IS APPOINTMENT TO CERTAIN POSITIONS
Veli Kelebek, the chairman of branch of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Kozan town of southeast Adana province, prepared a list of demands regarding appointment of teachers and faxed it to ''concerned'' departments. Preparations of Kelebek and Egitim Bir-Sen Union (a teachers' union) for the appointment of 20 teachers were revealed as the list was faxed to a wrong place. Turk Egitim-Sen Adana First Branch Chairman Ismail Koncuk stated that it was a scandal and lodged a complaint about the attempt in Adana Prosecutor's Office.
SEZER'S OBJECTION TO ADJUSTMENT PACKAGE
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer returned the articles 19 and 21 in the Sixth Adjustment Package to parliament. In the reason for the veto, Sezer emphasized that those articles were inconvenient for the inseparable integrity of the state. Sezer vetoed the regulation in the package regarding abolition of the Article 8 of Anti-Terrorism Law saying that ''it could be inconvenient for the inseparable integrity of the state and nation.'' Sezer, who ratified 19 articles of the package, vetoed 19th article of the package regarding the abolition of the Article 8 of Anti-Terrorism Law covering act of ''propaganda'', and 21st article regarding the end of cases and investigation within the scope of the regulation foreseen by 19th article.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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STRANGE DEFENSE
News published by Sabah daily that ''they secretly tested hazardous medicine on Turkish babies'' caused reactions. The statement of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that ''a hazardous medicine was tested on babies in Turkey'' agitated some circles in Turkey. Turkey representative of the firm, which had made that confession, denied the news. The official documents detailed how long and how much the medicine was tested on children in Turkey. But Candan Eris, the Turkey representative of the Wyeth firm producing the vaccine tested on babies, told Sabah, ''we did not make experiments for the vaccine. We only made disease scanning.'' Prof. Ozdemir Ilter said that only laboratory experiments were made regarding the vaccine.
KIND BUT FIRM WARNING FROM BUSINESSMEN
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with businessmen who were members of Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) and Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) in Prime Ministry Residence. Erdogan, who asked businessmen ''how it was going'' was responded by several criticisms about the interest and foreign exchange rates.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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GREEN LIGHT FROM AK PARTY TO HEADSCARF
The Higher Education Bill discussed by the Council of Ministers paves the way for arrangements that can facilitate entrance of people who graduate from high schools teaching Islam in universities saying that ''the examination system is determined jointly by the National Education Ministry (MEB) and Higher Board of Education (YOK).'' The bill states that clothing regulation will be prepared by universities. The bill which abolishes the authority of the president to choose YOK Chairman foresees the representative of the General Staff who will serve in the YOK to be a professor.
TREE WARNINGS TO GOVERNMENT
Higher Board of Education (YOK) Chairman Guruz, who said that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) was trying to pave the way for religious education, noted, ''a constitutional institution, universities, can't be against the religious beliefs of a country. But, if somebody is trying to divide education into two like general and religious education, this is contrary to the law on unification of teaching.'' Rifat Hisarciklioglu, the Chairman of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), drew the attention that AK Party had not taken any serious step in eight months and said, ''AK Party should take lessons from the past and we have seen that those who didn't make changes in the previous terms could not be re-elected.'' Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KESK) said that the AK Party came to power saying ''they would not permit workers to be negatively affected by inflation'' but exerted contrary efforts since it took over the office. KESK called on the government to resign.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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PETKIM NOW BELONGS TO UZAN FAMILY
Supreme Privatization Board (OYK) approved the selling tender of Petrochemical Holding Inc. (Petkim). The Uzan family will be the owner of the institution within 30 days. OYK consented to the sale of public shares of Petkim to Standart Kimya Inc., which belongs to the Uzan family, in return for 605 million U.s. dollars. The board announced that it had given 30 days of time to the firm to ''sign the contract fulfilling requirements of the tender.''
ECONOMY GOES LIKE CLOCKWORK
Turkish economy grew 7.4 percent in the first quarter of 2003. In the same period, import duties rose by 19.8 percent.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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SEZER INSTRUCTS AND COMPETITION BOARD UNDER SUPERVISION
The report of State Inspection Board (DDK) said, ''there are excessive personnel in the Competition Board where relatives are mostly employed.'' The report of the State Inspection Board which supervised the Competition Board noted that there were 15 vehicles in the Competition Board while 36 drivers were employed. The report said, ''this shows the dimensions of extravagancy of personnel in the board.''
''RETURN HOME'' IN PARLIAMENT
''Reassociation Law'' was signed by the Council of Ministers and sent to the parliament. Following the meeting of Council of Ministers, government spokesman and Justice Minister Cemil Cicek stated that the law would be presented to parliament. Cicek said that the reassociation bill was very important for Turkey and the region and added, ''reassociation is an important step irrespective of the crime committed by that person. This bill should be perceived well. Turkey is opening a new page. I hope that the bill will serve peace. This is not an amnesty law. We are against amnesty.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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BOTAS SAVED RUSSIA TO PAY FINE IN BLUE STREAM
It has been revealed that Turkey, which is getting prepared to complain about Russia to arbitration since it has not cheapened the Blue Stream gas price, signed a contrary agreement nine months ago. Russia, which violated the agreement since it could not complete the project on October 15, 2001, was face to face with making 8 percent reduction in natural gas price in winter and 4 percent reduction in summer. However, Pipeline Transportation Inc. (BOTAS) and Russian Gazexport firm changed the natural gas delivery date as January 1, 2003 by a secret additional protocol on September 24, 2002. Thus, Turkey used the opportunity of reduction in natural gas price in favor of the Russians.
HISTORICAL HERITAGE OF TURKEY DESTROYED ''UNDER PROTECTION''
News that the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) serving under the auspices of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will exclude Istanbul from the World Heritage List has brought onto agenda preservation of artifacts and its rules. If documents and reporters that are demanded are not sent to UNESCO, Suleymaniye, Sultanahmet and Zeyrek areas and Istanbul's city walls will be excluded from the list.
(BRC-AÖ) 01.07.2003