ANKARA (A.A) - 29.07.2002 - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on July 29, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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BAHCELI'S FINAL WORD
Prior to today's extraordinary meeting of the Parliamentary General Assembly, Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit met with his coalition ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader, State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli yesterday again. Bulent Ecevit told Bahceli, ''let's postpone the elections'' but Bahceli did not accept it.
AK PARTY WINS VICTORY IN EREGLI
The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) won the Municipal Assembly elections in northern Eregli hamlet in Karamursel. A total of 2,189 people cast votes. AK Party won 605 votes and had five seats in the Eregli Municipal Assembly while the Republican People's Party (CHP) won 449 votes and had two seats while the Motherland Party (ANAP) won 376 votes and had the remaining two seats. Meanwhile, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) could not win a seat in the assembly although it exceeded the ten percent of threshold.
REMOR ABOUT RESIGNATION SPREAD
The scenario that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit would resign today in order to prevent early elections topped the agenda again after his yesterday's meeting with MHP leader Devlet Bahceli. The rumor spread to political backstage after Bahceli rejected Ecevit's last effort to prevent elections. Under the Parliament's by-laws, if the Prime Minister resigns, any bill or proposal can't be discussed at the General Assembly until the new government wins vote of confidence.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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DO YOU NEED ANY MORE BLASTS AND REPORTS?
There are countless reports which warn that Izmit Gulf is ''on fire'' but there is nobody paying attention to those reports. Yesterday, a liquefied petroleum gas filling station exploded and tens of thousands of people had a close brush with death.
NOVEMBER 3 ALLIANCE AT PARLIAMENT
While the Parliament will convene today to decide on holding early elections on November 3, 2002, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) reached an agreement with the opposition and formed an ''election bloc'' against Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. When Ecevit declared again that he doesn't want early elections, MHP leader Devlet Bahceli instructed his senior aides to contact to the parties which ''want early elections''. MHP officials met with Justice and Development Party (AK Party), True Path Party (DY) and New Turkey Party (YTP) officials and adopted a common position on ''deciding on early elections'' on November 3.
''I WILL ANNOUNCE MY DECISION TODAY''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit could not get a result from his last initiative to prevent early elections. When Ecevit said, ''we should not take the country to early elections, I want you to think about this once again'', Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said, ''we won't take a backward step''. After this, Ecevit said, ''I will announce my final decision tomorrow (today)''.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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FIRSTLY EU, LATER ELECTIONS
The parliament will hold an extraordinary meeting today to discuss bill on adjustment with the EU and to decide on early elections. If the parliament decides to hold early elections first, bills on adjustment with the EU would be postponed and this would mean that Turkey would miss the Copenhagen Summit. The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the True Path Party (DYP) and the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) which want to hold early elections first have 263 seats in total in the parliament. The Motherland Party (ANAP), the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the Felicity Party (SP) which give priority to EU laws have 191 seats in total. Meanwhile, the New Turkey Party (YTP) which is in favor of discussion of articles on which an agreement had already been reached has 61 seats.
WILL ECEVIT PLAY HIS LAST TRUMP CARD?
At the political backstage, it is discussed whether Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit would take ''his position against early elections'' to the point of resignation of the government. Ecevit told Bahceli yesterday, ''we are not in favor of elections, let's postpone it'' but Bahceli said, ''What's done is done. There is no turning back.''
WE CALLED HIM ''SPY'' BUT HE BECAME AMBASSADOR
Greek diplomat Michael Christides who had worked in Ankara four years ago is going to be the new Greek Ambassador in Ankara. Christides was taken into custody on charges of ''espionage'' as he took photos in Ankara in 1998. Christides opened an exhibition with those photos and donated the income of this exhibition to the quake survivors.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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CRITICAL WEEK IN POLITICS
While the parliament will convene today in an extraordinary session to decide on early elections and discuss EU bills, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit launched a final initiative to persuade them not to take the country to early elections which he claimed risky for Turkey. Ecevit who could not persuade Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli is expected to clarify his position toward early elections and his ''resignation'' after meeting with Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz today. Meanwhile, Yilmaz told CNN-Turk that the only way to prevent elections is Ecevit's resignation but such a situation would cause a new political uncertainty.
BRITISH PATIENTS TO BE TREATED IN TURKEY
One million people who are waiting their turn due to hitch in British health system, are seeking ways to receive treatment abroad. Experts stress Turkey could get a better stake in this campaign. British insurance companies reached a deal with six hospitals in Turkey.
NOW DISPUTE ON HISTORY REGARDING FORMULA-1
It is mentioned that Selcuk town of western province of Izmir is the most appropriate place to host Formula-1 grand prix race which Turkey is planning to host beginning in 2005. However, some circles are opposing to hosting this worldwide famous races by saying that they feel concern that the Ephesus Ancient City's natural structure may be destroyed.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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''DERVIS IS AT YTP THIS WEEK''
New Turkey Party (YTP) Secretary General Istemihan Talay said that State Minister Kemal Dervis who would return to Turkey tomorrow would resign as join the YTP this week. ''If the government partners tells Dervis 'continue working even you joined another party', then the government becomes a quartet coalition,'' Talay said and added, ''after Dervis joins our party, we will plan new participations together with him. Now we are waiting. The structure of the YTP and the confidence it will give to people will be created by Dervis, Husamettin Ozkan and Ismail Cem.''
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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''DECEMBER IS THE LAST OPPORTUNITY''
Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz said early elections should absolutely be held on November 3. He said, ''except the Democratic Left Party (DSP), each political party supports this. There is only one thing that can prevent this and it is the resignation of the Prime Minister. In this case, the package energy including the EU and early elections would be endangered.'' Yilmaz said, ''we are obliged to do something for the EU until December. Everybody who says that December is not the last opportunity for EU membership is clearly deceiving people. Our job becomes quite difficult if the EU issue is not fulfilled until December. Besides, Turkey should be prepared with a powerful and new government in case a possible Iraq war erupts.''
ERDOGAN HAS A CLOSE BRUSH WITH DEATH
The hatch of the private plane carrying Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan from Ankara to Kayseri was opened shortly after it took off from Esenboga Airport. When the plane started to lose altitude made an emergency landing at Esenboga Airport.
WE ARE DEEP IN DEBT
The wound stemmed from the economic crisis is deepening in a way which can't be prevented. As of May 2002, Turkey's foreign and domestic debt reached 204.4 billion U.S. dollars. This means that every Turkish baby is born with a 2,918 U.S. dollars debt on his/her shoulders. Meanwhile, national income per capita is only 2,219 U.S. dollars.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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''KORFEZ COULD HAVE EXPLODED LIKE AN A-BOMB''
People left their homes in panic due to the fire in the Akcagaz LPG Filling Station in Korfez, Kocaeli. The fire caused 3 trillion Turkish liras (TL) damage to the station. Associate Professor Metin Mihcakan said the region which seemed like a fuel oil depot could have exploded like an atomic bomb if the fire had spread to LPG spheres.