BAYKAL: "NEXT ELECTIONS WILL USHER A NEW ERA"
Speaking at the opening ceremony of a park in Cesme named after Council of State Judge Mustafa Yucel Bilgin, who was gunned down on May 17 by a suspected religious fanatic who opposed his ruling in a case on the headscarf ban, Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that Turkey had finally recognized the danger. He said that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan viewed the attack at the Council of State, which resulted in the death of Bilgin and the wounding of five others, as a conspiracy against the government. Baykal added that it had become apparent that the next elections would usher a new era and introduce serious changes in the political landscape. /Turkish Daily News/
GONUL VISITS AFGHANISTAN
Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul yesterday travelled to Afghanistan for an official visit at the invitation of his Afghan counterpart Abdul Rahim Wardak. Gonul met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai to discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations. Later, Gonul met with Hikmet Cetin, NATO senior civilian representative in Afghanistan. He is expected to attend a groundbreaking ceremony of the Regional Development Team Headquarters Building in Wardak province. /Turkiye/
AGAR SAYS TURKEY'S PROBLEMS COULD BE SOLVED BY CENTER RIGHT PARTIES
Opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar said yesterday that Turkey's problems could be solved by center right parties. In a written statement, Agar said that center right parties contributed to Turkey's development in the fields such as industry and agriculture. He added that DYP aimed to enable Turkey to compete with the most developed countries of Europe. /Turkiye/
MHP LEADER BAHCELI: "60TH GOVERNMENT WILL BE NATIONALIST MOVEMENT"
Speaking in Kayseri, opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli over the weekend claimed that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) couldn't solve Turkey's problems and added, "Hunger, injustice and immortality; those are the things that our people have been facing under the AKP's rule. Turkey's problems will be solved by nationalist staffs. The 60th government will be `Nationalist Movement'". /Star/
FORMER PM YILMAZ: "I AM RETURNING TO POLITICS EVEN THOUGH I DON'T LIKE IT"
Speaking in Rize, former Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said that he would return to politics although he doesn't like it. Yilmaz said, "I don't like politics but I love you. Because of this, I will use my political experience of 20 years. And I will try to set up a political formation which you can give over country's rule with contentment just like the Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) in the 1980's. Meanwhile, opposition ANAVATAN leader Erkan Mumcu stated that the allegations over his party's former leader Mesut Yilmaz' returning to politics were misunderstood and said, "Mesut Yylmaz clearly declared that his existence in politics hereafter won't be dependent on any position or post. Both his asking a task or being assigned are out of the question" /Hurriyet-Cumhuriyet/
BABACAN: "WE SECURED $5.3 BILLION CREDIT FROM THE IMF AND MADE REPAYMENTS WORTH $17.7 BILLION"
Responding to a motion of a deputy from the opposition True Path Party (DYP) yesterday, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said that Turkey secured $5.3 billion credit from the International Monetary Fund during the Justice and Development Party (AKP) power, and made repayments worth $17.7 billion. The IMF will provide $5.4 billion credit to Turkey until 2008. /Sabah/