ANKARA - Following are the highlights from today`s Turkish daily SABAH. The Anadolu Agency is not responsible of opinions expressed or the context of the editorials and does not vouch for their accuracy
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) became the first NGO to give consent to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan`s possible candidacy for Presidency, writes Turkish daily SABAH.
Okan Mudessiroglu of Sabah daily wrote in his article that PM Erdogan who has started touring NGOs for consultation towards the presidential election visited TOBB, one of the leading bodies of Turkish private sector.
According to Mudessiroglu, chairman of TOBB, Rifat Hisarciklioglu, expressed to PM Erdogan their expectancy firstly for a social consensus to be reached regarding the presidential ballot and then for the process to be executed as defined in the constitution which was perceived as the first consent from the civil society to Erdogan`s possible candidacy for Presidency.
In this meeting, Erdogan stated his desire to get together with the TOBB Executive Board with a special agenda. This special meeting would feature topics like the presidential election and preserving the stability in the country, according to Mudessiroglu.
The TOBB Executive Board with 15 members is known to be in the expectancy that the presidential ballot should not affect the economic and political stability of the country negatively, writes Mudessiroglu.
It is known that several members in the TOBB Executive Board want Erdogan to remain PM for another term. Chairman of the Sabanci Group Board of Executives Guler Sabanci`s views suggesting Erdogan to remain as the leader of his party for another term for his successful performance as the PM finds support also at TOBB platform.
Erdogan who has met Turkish Industrialists` and Businessmen`s Association (TUSIAD) and TOBB so far is expected to receive the Turk-Is (an influential labour union) administration today. Though it was reported that the topic of the meeting will concern the temporary staff to be given permanent staff status, Turk-Is administration will also communicate their views on the presidential ballot to the PM, writes Mudessiroglu.