Cyprus-Forum.com

[Oceanside50]

...wow, i'll add this one for the record:

http://famagusta-gazette.com/turkey-min ... 855-69.htm

Announcing his decision, Environment Minister Erdogan Bayraktar said the prime minister should also step down.

Turkey is becoming Egypt lite..the radicals are being ostracized and moderates are moving in

[repulsewarrior]

...wow, i'll add this one for the record:

http://famagusta-gazette.com/turkey-min ... 855-69.htm

Announcing his decision, Environment Minister Erdogan Bayraktar said the prime minister should also step down.

Turkey is becoming Egypt lite..the radicals are being ostracized and moderates are moving in

...we were talking about a Turkish Spring a while back; and in a way, this revolution will consolidate a debate between those who identify Turkey as a State, where within, as Persons, Citizens may sustain their National identities, or where "Turkishness" is supreme, where the Nation is the State.

...bicommunal has always been a solution to Turkey, and as a template in Cyprus, quite frankly it opens frontiers across the region as well.

what is needed in Turkey is a Leadership that understands the true legacy of Ataturk, something more than "Turkishness" defines this State, where all can say, "how proud i am to be a Turk".

[bill cobbett]

In a massive obstruction of the anti-corruption investigations, the top prosecutor in one of the three corruption cases has been removed from the investigation.

Hurriyet reports...

"... The head prosecutor in a new corruption case has said the investigation files have been “taken from his hands” after he gave instructions for the arrest of suspects, while blasting the judicial institution for obstructing the probe.

Muammer Akkaş, a former prosecutor in the Ergenekon coup plot case, denounced pressure from the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and judicial police to not carry out court orders.

“I learned that I was removed from my duty without any justification, while the search warrants, seizure [of materials] and arrest orders [were also taken from me]. The responsibility from now on falls with the Istanbul public prosecutor and his deputy. All of the public and my colleagues should know that my task as a prosecutor has been obstructed,” Akkaş said in a written statement today. ... "

[Tim Drayton]

Yesterday evening (26 December) Erdal Kalkan, AKP deputy for Izmir, resigned, and this morning (27 December) Haluk Özdalga, AKP deputy for Ankara, resigned.
Kalakan said, with reference to his resignation:

“I joined this party in the period of military intervention. I took a stand before Mr Erdoğan. Political parties are indispensable components of democratic regimes. Political parties are not cows for the milking. Most certainly not Mr Erdoğan’s; they are social assets created by millions of people. The government and regime and party discipline are there to stop corruption, theft and robbery. This is not the end of the affair. Our noble people sees everything. Let our people be the judge. This people, who waged the war of liberation, will also solve this. I resign from the Development Party [AKP]. Bear in mind that the world turns and our people are not stupid - your road is blocked.”

http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/2303 ... uyor_.html

[Tim Drayton]

Prosecutor Muammer Akkaş has summoned Prime-Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s son, Bilal Erdoğan, to make a statement as part of the investigation he has launched into corruption and bribery. In the written summons issued by the prosecutor, is stated that Bilal Erdoğan is being summoned in the capacity of suspect.

It is not unheard of in Turkey for people to be summoned to give a statement to the public prosecutor and then be taken directly into detention. We will see what happens. The noose is tightening and Erdoğan the father appears to be the ultimate target. I wonder how they will get round the latter’s parliamentary immunity?

http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/2298 ... risi_.html

[Tim Drayton]

...wow, i'll add this one for the record:

http://famagusta-gazette.com/turkey-min ... 855-69.htm

Announcing his decision, Environment Minister Erdogan Bayraktar said the prime minister should also step down.

Turkey is becoming Egypt lite..the radicals are being ostracized and moderates are moving in

Not exactly, this is a fight to the death between two groups who until recently were allies in the quest to destroy the secular republic and return Turkey to the Middle Ages, one of which has dominated politics and the other has infiltrated and taken over large parts of the police and judiciary. In common with everyone who supports secularism in Turkey, I hope they finish one another off, and then the moderates can move in.

[Tim Drayton]

Yesterday (26 December) ex-minister and AKP deputy for Izmir, Ertuğrul Günay, resigned from the party. He has commented, with reference to his resignation:

“In order to continue the fight for clean politics, there is no need for a party/position/office. All that is needed are a clean conscience and sound faith!
Tomorrow is Friday! We cannot stay where we are not wanted for having come out against corruption. We are just at the beginning.
Let God help those who are in the right!
Dear friends and members of the press, tomorrow I will hold a press conference in Ankara concerning the latest events and my political decision.
Good evening.”

http://www.radikal.com.tr/politika/ertu ... iz-1168220

[Tim Drayton]

The Turkish Union of Bar Associations has brought an action before the Council of State to cancel, on the grounds that it violates the separation of powers, a change that was made on Friday to the rules governing police investigations, whereby the police will have to inform the provincial or sub-provincial governor as well as the public prosecution of their actions. This may sound like a technicality, but this change was introduced to make it easier for the government to monitor the police and so make it harder for them to continue with the ongoing corruption investigations into the ruling party.

http://birgun.net/haber/yasani-da-al-git-8816.html

The Council of State has just issued an order staying the execution of this amendment to police procedure. This will make it harder for the AKP to monitor and interfere in the ongoing anti-corruption investigation.

http://www.radikal.com.tr/turkiye/danis ... du-1168274

[Tim Drayton]

It is reported that a further 41 arrests are imminent in the next wave of the anti-corruption investigation being conducted by public prosecutor Muammer Akkaş.

http://www.radikal.com.tr/turkiye/ikinc ... si-1168254

[Tim Drayton]

The Istanbul stock exchange is down nearly 4% today, at a low for the year. The signs are that the current political crisis will have an economic impact, too.