MILLIYET- Columnist Derya Sazak comments on the new government led by Prime Minister Abdullah Gul. A summary of his column is as follows:
The Justice and Development Party (AKP) is now experiencing the dizzying trappings of holding power in Ankara. One could get caught up in the ‘too good to be true’ optimistic atmosphere of the markets due to AKP leader Tayyip Erdogan’s ongoing tour of the European Union, Abdullah Gul’s prime ministry and the government’s urgent action plan. However, the point of view of the government is much more political and ‘medium-term’ but the real success of the AKP government, which has swiftly taken up its duties, won’t be clear till the middle of next year. It will be a hard year for Erdogan and Gul’s administration, particularly in terms of the economy. The AKP staff is very enthusiastic and hopeful about the future, which brings to one’s mind the period of Turgut Ozal after his victory in the 1983 elections. We observed this situation at the end of the session where the Parliament speaker was elected. Bulent Arinc, who was elected speaker with 369 votes in the first round, accepted congratulations along with Prime Minister Gul. We met with Gul in Ecevit’s office in Parliament, which Ecevit had occupied for a record three-and-a-half years. He told us about the handover ceremony in the morning. Before the ceremony, US President George W. Bush had called. Bush began by saying that he was on his way to Prague’s NATO summit and wanted to congratulate Gul on his new post. Then the US president invited him to visit Washington, which Gul said would do in January or February. Gul said that the government’s first 90 days in office would be very important and that the economy would be his priority. Speaking on the ‘resource need’ of the urgent action plan announced by Erdogan, Gul said, ‘We will look for conditions to attract foreign capital investment. We’re confident on the economy and we’ve prepared ourselves very well. We’ll certainly create jobs and improve the lot of the poor, who have put their hopes in us.’ A political package designed to meet the EU’s political criteria before December’s Copenhagen summit is Gul’s second priority. The government will try to pass the package spearheaded by Deputy Prime Minister Ertugrul Yalcinbayir after the government wins its vote of confidence next week. The age of Gul is creating waves of optimism.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION