ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on June 5th, 2007. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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TRAITORS RAIDED A GENDARMERY STATION: SEVEN SOLDIERS KILLED
Two PKK terrorists stole the jeep that was carrying the needs of the Kocatepe Gendarmerie Station in Tunceli`s Pulumur town, and entered the station without causing any doubts because they were wearing civilian clothes. One of the terrorists hurled a hand grenade, while the other opened fire with an automatic gun. Terrorists hidden on the mountains opened fire with long-range guns. As soldiers opened fire back on the terrorists, a terrorist was killed and the other was wounded, but the injured terrorist escaped. Three soldiers died in the attack, and 11 others were injured. Four of the injured died on the way to hospital. Additional teams were sent to the region by helicopters, and an operation, backed by air troops, was launched. The martyrs are: Eraslan Gungor (Amasya), Burhan Yalcin (Sirnak), Eyup Yabangulu (Kayseri), Mustafa Aslan (Balikesir), Emrah Kayadelen (Gaziantep), Ilhan Saglam (Erzurum), and Erdem Erkacti (Izmir).
POWER OF WOMEN
Serious bargaining took place till the last minute as political parties were trying to shape up their MP candidacy lists. Parties had difficulties due to woman candidates` expectations to be nominated from places from which they can be elected. 100 of 434 women who applied to the Justice & Development (AK) Party achieved to be included in candidate lists. Nazli Ilicak was not included in the candidate MP lists. On the other hand, Republican People`s Party (CHP) nominated 52 woman candidates. Guldal Mumcu (wife of prominent Turkish journalist and author Ugur Mumcu who was assassinated) was put in the first place in Izmir. There are 58 women in MP candidacy list of Democrat Party (DP), whereas the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) only announced the candidates at the top of the list. Meral Aksener was at the top of the MHP candidate MP list from the third zone in Istanbul. PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not include 161 of 352 MPs in the list. Industry Minister Ali Coskun is among those who were excluded from the list. 66 CHP MPs were also unable to enter CHP`s lists. The excluded MPs constitute 45 percent of the total group in both AK Party and CHP.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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INFLATION SINGLE DIGIT, AGAIN
The Turkish government`s inflation target till the end of 2007 is 4 percent. According to the Turkish Statistical Board (TUIK), the inflation rate of the Consumer Price Index in the first five months of 2007 has been 4.1 percent. In May 2007, consumer prices rose by 0.5 percent and producer prices was up 0.39 percent.
RAHMI KOC: NO HEADSCARF AT CANKAYA PALACE
Honorary President of the Turkish Koc Holding Rahmi Koc indicated that there can be no first lady with headscarf at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. According to the definitions in the Turkish constitution, it is unacceptable to have a first lady who wears headscarf at Cankaya, told Koc.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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LIST TREMOR
Political parties submitted their lists of candidate MPs to Higher Board of Election (YSK). Justice & Development (AK) Party excluded supporters of Milli Gorus (National View) from the list. Republican People`s Party (CHP) left out its 66 MPs. Some members of Democrat Party (DP) resigned. PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan will run in the elections from Istanbul`s 1st region. Parties nominated more woman candidates than ever. 32 women from AK Party and 12 from CHP have the chance to enter the parliament. PM Erdogan excluded just one minister. Industry & Trade Minister Ali Coskun was out of the list.
VILLAINOUS ATTACK
Two terrorists of PKK usurped a car in eastern town of Tunceli`s Pulumur town and headed to a gendarmerie station in Kocatepe village. One PKK terrorist hurled a hand grenade and the other opened fire from the car as the soldiers opened the door since they knew the car. Meanwhile, some other terrorists who were hiding around the station launched rockets. 7 soldiers were killed.
VATAN (INDEPENDENT)
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LEAVE ASIDE CANDIDATE LISTS, LOOK AT MARTYRS
All political party leaders, from the prime ministers to the main opposition and the other opposition parties, were dealing with candidate MP lists yesterday. However, at the same hours the families of Turkish teenagers who are serving in the military in the Southeastern Anatolia Region were in a deep sorrow over the news that came from Tunceli. When discussions continue on whether an operation should be staged in northern Iraq, the Kocatepe gendarmerie station, situated in the outskirts of Munzur Mountain, was attacked by PKK terrorists yesterday morning. Seven soldiers were killed, and seven others were injured. Thus, the number of Turkish soldiers killed in the last six months reached 41.
YILMAZ BECOMES INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE
Former prime minister Mesut Yilmaz resigned from the Motherland Party yesterday, and will run as an independent candidate from his homeland Rize.
GUARANTEED PLACES TO 13 DSP MEMBERS
Deniz Baykal, the chairman of the Republican People`s Party (CHP), changed half of his own MPs but continued to keep people close to him in his party. He nominated Nesrin Baytok, his chief of staff, from a secured place in Ankara, while Ugur Mumcu`s wife Guldal Mumcu, Inonu`s granddaughter Gulsun Bilgehan and Nur Serter, who organized the Republican demonstrations, were also among the candidate MPs. 13 members of the Democratic Left Party (DSP), including Bulent Ecevit`s guard Recai Birgun, were put in guaranteed places in the candidate MP lists.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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TRIBE VOTES FOR 1 MILLION USD
South-eastern province of Sanliurfa will be represented by 11 deputies in the Turkish parliament. Some sources indicate that certain tribes in Sanliurfa offered their votes in return for one million USD.
PKK MESSAGE TO EU AT TROIKA MEETING
The Turkey-EU Troika meeting took place in Ankara on Monday. Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul informed EU officials at the meeting about PKK presence in north of Iraq. Gul stressed that "Turkey no longer has any patience in regard to PKK matter."
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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HOPE REPLACES WITH CHAOS IN CENTRAL RIGHT
Motherland (Anavatan) Party and Democrat Party (DP) are shaken by the fear of electoral threshold. DP Chairman Mehmet Agar headed to Young Party (GP) but he could not get any results. Mehmet Agar and Cem Uzan haggled and disputed over candidate lists, said sources.
Several famous candidates withdrew their candidacy. Anavatan leader Erkan Mumcu was in search for collaboration with People`s Ascent Party (HYP) leader Yasar Nuri Ozturk and Homeland Party (YP) leader Sadettin Tantan.
MAY WAS THE CHEAPEST MONTH
Consumer prices climbed 0.50 percent and producer prices 0.39 percent in May. Annual inflation was 9.23 percent in consumer prices and 7.14 in producer prices. Consumer prices rose by 4.12 percent in the first five months of the year. Target for annual inflation was set as 4 percent.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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MUMCU POSTERS GET BURNED
After Chairman of the Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) Erkan Mumcu made remarks against former chairman of the Motherland Party and prime minister Mesut Yilmaz, many ANAVATAN supporters resigned from the party all across Turkey. In Black Sea city of Rize, ANAVATAN members burned the posters of Mumcu and then resigned from the party.
4 OUT OF EVERY 5 AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURED IN TURKEY GOES TO EU
Considered to be the engine of the Turkish economy, the automobile sector exported four out of every five automobiles to the European Union (EU) in the first five months of 2007, said sources on Monday. Turkish automobile exports were made to 162 countries and 14 free trade zones in the first five months of 2007.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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DEMOCRACY MESSAGE FROM TURKEY-EU SUMMIT
"Democracy" message was given in the Turkey-EU Troika meeting held in Ankara yesterday. Developments that occurred during presidential election in Turkey, the decision of the Constitutional Court and "cross-border operation" were discussed in the meeting. European Commissioner for enlargement Olli Rehn and German FM Frank Walter Steinmeier expressed concern over the midnight statement of the General Staff and the developments that occurred after that. Rehn said that they respect the military, but some developments that were against a democratic secular order happened.
VILLAINOUS ATTACK ON GENDARMERIE STATION: SEVEN DIE
A group of terrorists attacked on a gendarmerie station in Tunceli`s Pulumur town yesterday. Seven soldiers were killed and seven others were injured.
YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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VILLAINOUS ATTACK IN TUNCELI: SEVEN SOLDIERS KILLED
A terrorist who entered the garden of a gendarmerie station in Tunceli`s Pulumur town hurled a hand grenade on troops who were there for morning greetings. The terrorist was killed at the scene of the attack, while terrorist stationed around the station opened fire with long-range guns. Seven soldiers were killed in the attack.
HOT PURSUIT FROM TURKISH TROOPS IN NORTH OF IRAQ
As a military helicopter was hit by PKK terrorists in Cukurca town, Turkish troops launched a hot pursuit in north of Iraq, it was claimed. Our helicopter had to make an obligatory landing in Iraq.
WINDS OF CHANGE
Most of current MPs either are not included in the candidate lists or were nominated from places where they are not likely to be elected. Newly-transferred politicians were at the top of the candidate lists, while there was a rise in number of woman candidates. 30 percent of current Justice & Development (AK) Party MPs were excluded from candidate lists. Election areas of some ministers were changed. 58 women were nominated, whereas most of them were put in places from which they are most likely to be elected. AK Party`s new members Ertugrul Gunay, Zafer Caglayan, Ahmet Iyimaya, Haluk Ozdalga, Mehmet Simsek, Mehmet Saglam, Zafer Uskul, Osman Yagmurdereli and Reha Camuroglu were ranked at the top of candidate MP lists. 60 of 149 MPs were out of the Republican People`s Party (CHP) lists, and 30 of them were ranked in places with a low election possibility. CHP nominated 48 women as candidates.