ERDOGAN STUMPS FOR AKP CANDIDATES IN KIRIKKALE
Stumping for Justice and Development Party (AK Party) candidates for local elections late next month, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday spoke to a campaign rally in the central Anatolian province of Kirikkale. Again accusing opposition parties of basing their campaigns on smears and baseless claims, Erdogan told a crowd of thousands, "If you have any evidence of corruption involving the government or AK Party mayors, you should go to the legal system, not spread smears. Turkey is a country ruled by law, and such smear campaigns accomplish nothing." Charging that opposition leaders are avoiding holding rallies despite the looming polls, Erdogan said, "The nation has the right and authority to make a choice. You should come to the people and promote your policies and projects to serve them, if you have any. But instead your campaigns are based on slander." Erdogan also accused some media outlets of complicity in the smears. Stressing that his party's books are fully transparent, Erdogan said the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) had been convicted by the Constitutional Court of misusing Treasury aid to the party. Erdogan added that his party would seek justice in the courts against the purported smears. Accusing the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) of trying to monopolize patriotism, Erdogan said, "Patriotism isn't a matter of words but instead of working to serve the people. We don't talk about patriotism but carry out projects to serve the people." Rejecting ethnic discrimination, Erdogan said Turkish citizenship is an inseparable unity. /Turkiye/

CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE CENTERS ON PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has prepared a package of constitutional changes focused on Parliament, in such areas as proposing and debating bills, the length of parliamentary sessions, quorums, investigations of the prime minister or other Cabinet ministers, and budget debates. The package also proposes a public referendum on those changes. /Star/

TURKISH FRIGATE HEADED TO GULF OF ADEN TO FIGHT PIRACY
A Turkish warship set sail yesterday from the Aksaz naval base on the Aegean coast to Somalia as part of a UN-led force to prevent pirates from hijacking foreign ships. Flying the Turkish flag in the region as part of the fight against piracy will be a source of honor, Staff Col. Cenk Dalkanat, who commands the TCG Giresun, said at a ceremony before the ship set sail. "The Giresun stands ready to fulfill the duties assigned to it using modern arms and systems, and will participate in the operation with 263 crew members . whose hearts are full of love for their country and their mission," he added. At the ceremony, many wives and children of the crew were full of emotion and pride at the departure of their loved ones. Last week Parliament approved a government motion allowing Turkey to deploy naval forces for the operation. The motion entails a one-year limit for the deployment in the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast, where more than a dozen commercial vessels have been hijacked by pirates. In 2008, pirates attacked 111 ships in the waterway, hijacking 42 of them and receiving tens of millions of dollars in ransoms. Three of these vessels were Turkish cargo ships. /Sabah/

DEFENSE MINISTER GONUL IN POLAND FOR NATO MEETING
Defense ministers of 26 NATO member countries are convening in Krakow, Poland today. Turkey will be represented by Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul at the two-day meeting, during which the officials will discuss issues such as the defense planning, military operations, and nuclear planning. They will also work on a declaration on alliance security. /Hurriyet Daily News/

CHP'S BAYKAL SLAMS AK PARTY ECONOMIC POLICY
Speaking at his party's parliamentary group meeting yesterday, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal lambasted ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) economic policies, including its handling of unemployment. Stating that Turkey has become a haven for corruption, Baykal also criticized the government stance on the court case against the Lighthouse Foundation, a German-based charity run by Turks. In related news, opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli criticized both the AK Party and the CHP at his party's parliamentary group meeting, saying they were using each other to threaten the Turkish nation. /Hurriyet-Milliyet/

TUZMEN PREDICTS DOUBLED TURKISH-SYRIAN TRADE WITHIN 5 YEARS
This year's trade volume between Turkey and Syria is expected to reach $2.5 billion, said State Minister for Foreign Trade Kursad Tuzmen yesterday. Speaking at a Turkish-Syrian Business Forum in Damascus, Tuzmen said that after last year's $2 billion trade volume, Turkey and Syria should see this volume grow to $5 billion within the next five years. /Today's Zaman/

ACTOR OZCAN PASSES AWAY
Prominent stage actor Gazanfer Ozcan passed away yesterday at the age of 78. Ozcan had been undergoing treatment at Istanbul's American Hospital since late last month. /Cumhuriyet/