ECEVIT: “TURKEY IS NOW MORE FREE AND DEMOCRATIC”
Appearing on television yesterday, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit stated that with Friday’s historic approval in Parliament of a European Union harmonization law package, Turkey was now more free and democratic and was becoming more European. Turkey is now waiting full membership from the EU, said Ecevit. Speaking on the abolition of the death penalty during peacetime, Ecevit added, “Terrorist criminals will spend their entire lives in prison, and terrorists who find shelter with EU member states could be judged in Turkey.” Ecevit remarked that Parliament had fulfilled a historic mission and that Turkey was now more strong and respected in the world. Ecevit also stated that by ensuring rights and freedoms, the nation’s unity and territorial integrity would be protected. /All Papers/
YILMAZ TO MEET WITH EU COUNTRIES’ AMBASSADORS
Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz yesterday invited ambassadors from the European Union member states to the Secretariat General For European Union Affairs to lay out for them the historic steps towards EU accession that Parliament took on Friday. Yilmaz will reportedly tell the ambassadors that Turkey had done its part for its EU bid and that now it was the EU’s turn to respond in kind. /Sabah/
BAHCELI: “THE EU HARMONIZATION LAWS HAVE COMPROMISED TURKEY”
Speaking at his party’s Erciyes General Assembly over the weekend, Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli said that the basic principles of the Republic of Turkey had been compromised by the laws passed in Parliament last week. Criticizing both the EU laws and the parties supporting them, Bahceli said, “Passing these laws has played into the hands of minorities.” /Sabah/
DERVIS: “THE EU LAWS ARE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO TURKEY”
State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis said yesterday that the European Union harmonization laws were of great importance to Turkey and that it had taken an important step forward in Parliament’s adopting the laws. Speaking after meeting members of the Bee Movement, a pro-EU nongovernmental organization (NGO), Dervis said that the group had worked hard for Turkey’s EU bid and that he appreciated this. He added that Turkey had taken a very important step by adopting the EU harmonization law package and that now it had to work hard to enact other required regulations. /Cumhuriyet/
CEM: “THE YT WILL COME TO POWER IN EARLY ELECTIONS”
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, New Turkey (YT) leader Ismail Cem declared that the YT would come to power in early elections. “If we come to power, we will give priority to the automotive and agriculture industries,” he said. “But the measures we will implement will take time. It is impossible to carry them out in a week or even a month.” He added that the YT believed that Turkey’s most important problems were unemployment, low productivity, and income inequality and that the YT would first try to boost the production as a solution. Cem also said, “The government’s structure of 38 ministers and prime minister has proven incapable of working efficiently in this situation, and we would decrease the number of ministries after coming to power.” /Sabah/
TUSIAD ANNOUNCES OPPOSITION TO JOB SECURITY BILL
The Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) issued a written statement over this weekend saying that it opposed a Job Security Bill now facing Parliament. The statement charged that the bill would hurt Turkey’s work environment and represented a piecemeal approach to workplace issues. /Cumhuriyet/
CILLER: “THE DYP HAS BEEN KEY IN TURKEY’S EU BID”
True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller said yesterday that her party had played an important role in the approval of the European Union harmonization laws, just as it played a key role in the 1995 Customs Union deal when she was prime minister. Ciller also said that her party had done everything it could in order to move Turkey’s EU membership bid forward. “We exerted great effort to prevent Parliament from taking a summer recess, and twice we called Parliament back for an extraordinary session,” added Ciller. She also stated that the DYP should be appreciated and thanked for its support of Turkey’s EU bid. /Turkiye/
23 PARTIES TO PARTICIPATE IN NOVEMBER ELECTIONS
The Supreme Election Board (YSK) declared yesterday that 23 parties would participate in elections which are set to be held this Nov. 3. According to the YSK, the parties which will take part in the elections are as follows: the Justice and Development Party (AK), Motherland Party (ANAP), Enlightened Turkey Party (ATP), Independent Turkey Party (BTP), Great Unity Party (BBP), Republican People’s Party (CHP), Democratic Party (DP), Democratic Turkey Party (DTP), Democratic People’s Party (DHP), Democratic Left Party (DSP), True Path Party (DYP), Labor Party (EMEP), People’s Democratic Party (HADEP), Worker’s Party (IP), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Nation Party (MP), Nationalist Action Party (MHP), Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP), Felicity Party (SP), Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), New Turkey (YT), Rebirth Party (YDP) and Homeland Party (Yurt Partisi). /Turkiye/
ORAL: “THE ECONOMIC PROGRAM MUST BE CARRIED OUT FULLY”
Speaking in Izmir yesterday, Finance Minister Sumer Oral stressed the necessity for Turkey to carry out its economic program fully. The government is acting with sensitivity on this priority matter, he added. Stating also that industrial production was climbing, Oral predicted that current data indicate a 5% growth rate this year. Oral also touched on Parliament’s recent historic passage of an EU harmonization law package, stating, “These laws are of the utmost importance.” /Aksam/
EKSI: “CHANGES TO PRESS LAW ARE IMPORTANT BUT INSUFFICIENT”
Press Council Chairman Oktay Eksi said yesterday that the changes made to the Press Law as part of Turkey’s European Union harmonization laws were important but remained insufficient. Emphasizing that these laws were important for Turkey’s democratization, Eksi said that heavy fines had been enacted to replace prison term punishments. Stating that the new regulations aimed to achieve a freer Turkey, Eksi said, “However, there are some sections of our laws which put people behind bars because they have ‘violated’ the freedom of expression. As long as our punishments go beyond the imposition of heavy fines and the like, these steps are not sufficient.” Eksi recalled that six journalists were currently imprisoned and that he favored them being granted new trials. /Aksam/
CONSULTING FIRM TO BE NAMED FOR AGRICULTURAL RESTRUCTURING
As part of a project carried out under the leadership of Undersecretariat of the Treasury, the nation’s agricultural cooperatives are being restructured, and a consultant firm for the project is due to be chosen today. The restructuring project will be carried out for five leading agricultural cooperatives, namely Taris, Cukobirlik, Antbirlik, Trakyabirlik and Marmarabirlik, so their productivity and activities are boosted under the supervision of the Treasury Undersecretariat’s Directorate General of State Economic Enterprises (KIT). As part of the Agricultural Reform Implementation Project (ARIP) to be carried out under the auspices of the World Bank, the consultant firm which will carry out the restructuring work will determine the needs for operational and financial restructuring. It will also prepare financial plans for steps that can be taken in areas in which agricultural cooperatives are active. /Aksam/
BIDDING OPENED FOR ISTANBUL’S NEW “MARMARAY” SUBWAY LINE
The state officially initiated over the weekend a bidding process for the construction of a new subway line through Istanbul, one including an underwater Bosphorus tube passage. The Directorate General for Railway, Harbor and Airport Construction, attached to the Transportation Ministry, opened the bid for the new line called “Marmaray,” which will stretch from the suburb of Gebze to Halkali. The massive construction project will include rails, the tube passage and stations. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) is helping the financing of the nearly $2.5 billion project, and leading international construction firms have already shown an interest. /Milliyet/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION