ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on April 22nd, 2008. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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EU CANNOT ACT AS POLITICAL ARBITRATOR ON TURKEY`S DOMESTIC DISCUSSIONS
Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik had a meeting with her Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan at Foreign Ministry building in Ankara. After the meeting, the two foreign ministers held a press conference. Replying to a question on the lawsuit that was filed to close down the ruling Justice & Development (AK) Party, Plassnik said Turkey needed to settle domestic discussions by itself, adding that "its European partners" could not be expected to intervene.

CHILDREN BECOME VICTIMS, ERDOGAN
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said children became victims of wars and hostilities that were caused by adults. Erdogan received children from 39 countries on the occasion of April 23rd, National Sovereignty and Children`s Day which will be celebrated with a series of events and ceremonies in Turkey. "The beautiful view that was created by children should be a model for adults," Erdogan said.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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ZAGREP:2010, TURKEY:2023
The greatest indicator how slow Turkey progresses in the way to EU is, the situation of Croatia which started negations in October 3rd 2005, same day with Turkey. Croatia started negotiations in Energy and Transportation Policy chapter headings and increased the number of chapter headings it has opened to 18. EU Commisions President Jose Manuel Barosso had said that Crotia, which had closed two of the chapter headings so far, could become a member in 2010.
However, Turkey was able to open only 6 chapter headings so far and close only one of these chapters temporarily. Turkey`s hope to open two more chapter headings was left to June due to technical reasons. Because Turkey still did not open its ports to Greek Cypriot ships and planes, 8 chapters headings are suspended. EU Commissioner for Enlargement said if Turkey continued reforms with determination, it could become a member in 2023.

ARMENIA SURPRISE
Turkey`s Foreign Minister Ali Babacan who hosted his Australian Counterpart Plassnik, answered a question on whether Turkey was making a new move in relations with Armenia, and said "We are making preparations. Our doors are open for dialogue. I communicated this to the new Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian in my letter."

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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MAY 1ST NOT BE DESIGNATED AS A HOLIDAY
The Council of Ministers decided that May 1st would not be designated as a legal holiday. After a meeting of the Council of Ministers, government spokesman and Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek said designating May 1st as a legal holiday would cost 2 billion YTL. We will celebrate the day as "Labor and Solidarity Day" just like the rest of the world, he added.

WE COULD NOT BRING A GIFT CAUSE WE`RE IN WAR
Children from 15 countries visited governor`s office in northwestern province of Kocaeli on the occasion of the 4th International Children`s Festival. Children gave governor Gokhan Sozer gifts from their countries. Iraqi children told him that they could not bring a gift from Iraq because of war, which Sozer replied that their visit was a gift itself.

VATAN (INDEPENDENT)
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MAY 1ST NOT HOLIDAY
After the meeting of Council of Ministers, Government Spokesman and Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek said May 1st would be celebrated as "Labor and Solidarity Day" from now on, but it will not be designated as a legal holiday.

NEED FOR A NEW POLITICAL PARTY
Mesut Yilmaz, an independent deputy from the northeastern province of Rize, gave signals on a new political party. Yilmaz said, "I have been holding talks in Ankara. There is not a concrete development to be made public. Turkey needs a new political party which will embrace everyone."

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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AK PARTY`S ORDER DOCUMENTED
Nationalist Movement Party deputy Tugrul Turkes announced that President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Lluís Maria de Puig had told him in person that at the Sub-committee meeting on Migration in St. Petersburg, the head of the Turkish delegation, AK Party Deputy Mevlut Cavusoglu had demanded PACE to condemn the prohibition case filed against his party. As evidence, Turkes showed the signatures of those who attended the said sub-committee meeting.
Turkes said this created serious doubts about the circumstances behind EU Comission`s President Jose Manuel Barosso`s visit to Turkey and asked "I wonder if they lobied in the EU Commission like they did with the Council of Europe?"

CRITICISM AND WARNING FROM THE EU
The European Commission adopted the report calling on Turkey to accelerate the reforms. The report which expressed concern over the prohibition case against AK Party also pointed out that the arrangement on headscarf created fears among a portion of Turkey`s population.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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MAY 1ST WAS GIVEN NAME, BUT NOT DESIGNATED LEGAL HOLIDAY
May 1st which is being celebrated as Labour day in the majority of the world, finally was recognised officially as the "Labor and Solidarity Day". The council of ministers decree on the issue was opened to signature.
Government spokesman and Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek said they did not want May 1st to be a legal holiday and refused the workers` desire to celebrate it at the Taksim square in Istanbul. Labour unions are sore over this decision. Turk-Is labour union said it was unacceptable. DISK labour union said celebrating May 1st in Taksim square became a must for them.

AK PARTY`S HEADSCARF DEFENSE
Justice and Development (AK) Party`s defense in the prohibition case at the Constitutional Court will be based on this argument: "The 10th and 42nd articles of the Constitution was not changed in order to allow the headscarf into the Universities but to expand the area of freedoms."

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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GUESTS OF PREMIER
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan received children from 39 countries on the occasion of April 23rd, National Sovereignty and Children`s Day. Erdogan said he hoped that solidarity among children from all over the world would be a model for adults.

FUNERAL FOR GOKDEMIR
A funeral was held at the parliament for former State Minister Ayvaz Gokdemir who died of heart attack. Several people including President Abdullah Gul and former Prime Minister Tansu Ciller participated in the funeral on Monday.

NAME OF MAY 1ST CHANGED
Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek said May 1st would not be a legal holiday and it would be celebrated as "Labor and Solidarity Day".

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO RECOGNIZE EUROPEAN VALUES
Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik of Austria, which insisted on "privileged partnership" instead of full membership for Turkey, held talks in Ankara. Plassnik attended the opening of Turkish-Austrian Neighborhood Workshop at State Guesthouse and had a meeting with Foreign Minister Ali Babacan. Replying to questions, Plassnik said Turkey should comply with the values of Europe and implement them.

PREMIER ERDOGAN HAS A JOYFUL DAY WITH CHILDREN
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a joyful day with children from several countries. Erdogan said children suffered from wars that were caused by adults.

YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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MAY 1ST "LABOR AND SOLIDARITY DAY"
The government decided with a decree that May 1st should be celebrated as the "Labor and Solidarity Day."

CROTIA PROGRESSING FASTER THEN TURKEY
Croatia which started EU membership negotiations at the same time with Turkey opened 14 of the 35 chapter headings to negotiation and successfully closed one. However, Turkey was able to open only 6 chapter headings and close one of these. If Croatia goes on with this pace, it will become an EU member in 2011.
(EÖ-OZG-AÖ)