TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
1. Turkey blocks Cyprus and Israel’s membership to
IRENA’s council
2. Downer briefed Eroglu about his moves
3. The breakaway regime to participate in the
Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States in Sudan
4. Eroglu reiterated his known positions; “the solution of the Cyprus problem should be
based on the realities in the island”
5. A new Turkish Cypriot movement is established; Its
first protest is against the change of the demographic structure
6. TAHAL Israeli desalination firm which operates a
factory in occupied Vokolida threats to leave the breakaway regime
7. Letter reveals Turkish army plans to assassinate Gul
and stage a coup d'état in Turkey
8.
Kucuk met with the Azeri Deputies who are illegally visiting the occupation
regime
9. Former general secretary of FIFA Champagne
continues to promote football of the breakaway regime
10. KTOS reacts to Gunsel’s letter to Eroglu
11. “Elections” approach at occupied Lefkosia’s
“municipality”
12. Protest against human trafficking is organized in
occupied Lefkosia
13. Bagis due to Sweden; Turkey’s EU negotiation
process to be discussed
14. French Minister of Trade expressed interest in
Turkey's nuclear projects; France seeks to ease political tension with Turkey
through trade ties
15. Turkey’s YOK submitted a bill aiming to
remove headscarf ban for academics; Foreigners to be allowed to open
universities in Turkey
16. Erdogan and Caglayan on Turkey’s economy; Erdogan:
"Lowest inflation since 1968"
17. President's Office, the TSK and the Police, the
most trusted state institutions in Turkey, survey shows; Erdogan the most
trusted political party leader; Davutoglu the most trusted Minister
1. Turkey blocks Cyprus and
Israel’s membership to IRENA’s council
Turkish Cypriot daily Haberdar newspaper (16.01.13)
reports that the Turkish Minister of Energy, Taner Yildiz has said that Turkey
blocked the Republic of Cyprus and Israel’s membership in the council of the
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
In statements to Anatolia news agency, Yildiz noted
that Presidents, Prime Ministers and Ministers from many countries have
participated in the International Renewable Energy Conference in Abu Dhabi and
added that Turkey was represented by the Turkish Ministry of Energy in the 3rd
assembly of IRENA. He said that Turkey has prevented the “south Cyprus”, as he
described the Republic of Cyprus, and Israel to join the council of IRENA.
He argued, inter alia, the following: “Of course,
within the framework of our policy, we could not see positively Israel’s and
south Cyprus membership. This is a sustainable policy. Of course, we cannot
support a mentality, which tries to exclude us in Europe and in different
environments. And we opposed here to the membership of Israel and south Cyprus.
I thank my friends. Thus, they have not been accepted as members of the council…”
According to the paper, among the 185 member-countries
of IRENA, only Turkey opposed to the membership of Cyprus and Israel to the
21-member council.
(I/Ts.)
2. Downer briefed Eroglu about
his moves
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (16.01.13) reports
that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu met yesterday at his office with
Alexander Downer, UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus. Eroglu’s
special representative and adviser, Osman Ertug and Hasan Gungor respectively,
as well as his negotiating team attended the meeting. No statement was issued before the meeting
that lasted about one hour.
In statements after the meeting, Downer said that in
the end of March he would visit New York to brief the UN Security Council.
Responding to questions, Downer described his meeting with Eroglu as good and
useful. He said they discussed the work of the technical committees and the
negotiations.
Downer argued that they will be able to see better the
future after seeing who the winner in the presidential elections of February in
the Republic of Cyprus will be.
Downer said he informed Eroglu on the visit he will
pay to New York in March during which he will brief the UN Security Council. He
added: “We will discuss the Cyprus issue with the Security Council. The
elections will be finished. We will see and who will win the elections. Thus we
will brief the Security Council and discuss the Cyprus issue, and we will
evaluate the point we have come”.
Downer concluded by saying that he briefed Eroglu on
the “useful visits” he had paid last month to Athens, London and Ankara.
(I/Ts.)
3. The breakaway regime to
participate in the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States in Sudan
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (16.01.13)
reports that a delegation of the self-styled assembly of the breakaway regime
headed by its “speaker” Hasan Bozer went to Sudan.
The delegation, which consists of Bozer and “MP” with
the National Unity Party Ahmet Caluda and “MP” with the Republican Turkish
Party Abbas Sinay, is participating in
the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States. The meeting is starting today
and will continue until January 23.
The delegation of the breakaway regime is
participating in the meeting upon an invitation by the speaker of the Sudan Assembly
and chairman of the meeting Ahmad Ibrahim Al-Tahi, according to the paper.
4. Eroglu reiterated his known positions; “the
solution of the Cyprus problem should be based on the realities in the island”
According
to illegal Bayrak television (15.01.13) the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis
Eroglu has reiterated the Turkish Cypriot side’s desire to reach a
comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of the “realties” in
the island.
Speaking
during the main ceremony marking the 29th anniversary of the death of Dr. Fazıl
Kucuk, Eroglu said that the Turkish Cypriot side continues to sit at the
negotiating table with the aim of reaching a settlement on the basis of the
“realities” on the island. “We aim to reach a settlement that will not take the
Cyprus Turks back to pre-1974 condition”, he said.
Also,
touching upon next month’s presidential elections in “south Cyprus”, as he
called the Republic of Cyprus, Eroglu said that a new momentum could be
expected in the talks after the “south Cyprus” elections but added that this
momentum could only yield positive results under certain conditions. “We
believe that from now on, any negotiation has to be carried according to a
timetable. We are also ready for a give-and-take exercise and to hold a
multiparty conference with the participation of the guarantor powers”, he said.
Explaining
that the Turkish Cypriot “people” had run out of patience waiting for a
settlement to happen, Eroglu said that the Turkish Cypriots were expecting the
“lifting” of the “unjust international embargoes” imposed on them.
5. A new Turkish Cypriot
movement is established; Its first protest is against the change of the demographic
structure
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (16.01.13)
reports that some political parties and civilian organizations in the occupied
area of the Republic of Cyprus have established the “Movement of Communal
Existence”. The first activity of the Movement will be held on Friday in front
of the self-styled ministry of interior and local administrations with the aim
of protesting against the fact that the breakaway regime distributes its
so-called citizenship “carelessly aiming at ruining the demographic structure”
in the occupied area of the island.
Ahmet Kaptan, chairman of the “public” servants’ trade
union (KTAMS), issued a written statement yesterday on behalf of the Movement
explaining the principles of the organization. He noted that they decided to
struggle until the “tyranny” of the National Unity Party ends, until any kind
of political, economic, social, cultural and demographic impositions, packages
and privatizations by the Justice and Development Party, which aims at
annihilating the Turkish Cypriot community are prevented, and until a federal
solution to the Cyprus problem is reached on the basis of the UN Resolutions in
order for the Turkish Cypriots to take their place in the international
field.
The political parties, which participate in the Movement,
are the following: the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), the Social Democracy
Party (TDP), the New Cyprus party (YKP) and the United Cyprus Party (BKP).
Other organizations, which joined the Movement, are the following: the chamber
of engineers and architects (KTMMOB), the chamber of tradesmen and craftsmen
(KTZO), the journalists’ union (KTGB), the olive producers’ union, the
subcontractors’ union, and the taxi drivers’ union. Trade unions such as KTAMS,
KTOS, KTOEOS, Turk-Sen, Dev-is, BES, Guc-Sen, Tip-Is, Cag-Sen, Basin-Sen,
DAU-Sen, DAU-Bir-Sen, Koop-Sen, Hava-Sen, El-Sen, Tel-Sen, Devrimci Genel Is,
Emek-is, Petrol-Is, Magusa Turk Genel-is, Bank-Sen, Gida-Sen, Saglik-Sen and
HTKS are also participating in the Movement.
(I/Ts.)
6. TAHAL Israeli desalination
firm which operates a factory in occupied Vokolida threats to leave the
breakaway regime
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (16.01.13)
reports that the “government” of the National Unity Party (UBP) does not accept
the agreement signed between the TAHAL Israeli desalination firm and the
“government” of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) when the latter was in
“power” for operating without paying bill on electric power and as a result the
debt of the company on this issue reached two million dollars.
The firm operates a factory in occupied Vokolida and
distributes water in the hotels located in the area and in nearby villages.
The paper publishes statements by the deputy chairman
of the firm’s engineering body, Itai Stadler who said that if the “TRNC
government” cannot obey to the terms of the agreement, and do not pay the debt, then TAHAL will close the
factory and will leave.
Kibris writes that the self-styled minister of economy
Ersin Tatar commenting on the issue said that it is a scandal and called on for
an agreement to be reached between the “government” and the Israeli firm.
7. Letter reveals Turkish army plans to assassinate
Gul and stage a coup d'état in Turkey
According
to Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (15.01.13) an anonymous letter sent to the
National Intelligence Organization (MİT) has claimed that the Special Warfare
Department (OHD) of the Turkish military made plans for a number of atrocities,
including political assassinations, in order to spark chaos in society and
restructure the Turkish political landscape.
The
plans included the assassination of President Abdullah Gul and persuading
former Chief of General Staff retired General Yasar Buyukanıt to stage a coup
d'état and the appointment of him as the new president.
Sections
from the letter were printed by the Vatan daily on Tuesday. According to the
daily, the author of the letter defined himself as a serving military officer
at the Special Warfare Department. The letter was addressed to Emre Taner,
MİT's former undersecretary. The letter was recently forwarded to the
parliamentary Coup and Memorandum Commission for examination.
According
to the letter, the department made plans to assassinate a number of leading
figures, including President Gul, journalist Tuncay Ozkan and Turkan Saylan,
the former chairwoman of the Support for Modern Life Association (CYDD). The
letter does not specify exactly when the plans were devised but the fact that
Saylan died in 2009 suggests that the plans date from before that year.
The
Special Warfare Department hoped to incite chaos in society with the
assassinations, which would eventually lead to the collapse of the government.
The department planned to ask Hilmi Guler, a former Minister of the Justice and
Development Party (AK Party) government, to become the new Prime Minister and
shape the new Cabinet.
The
letter also claimed that the department urged Buyukanıt to retire earlier than
scheduled, in April 2008, so that he could be appointed the new President after
a planned coup was put into action. However, the department failed to persuade
Buyukanıt, according to the letter. The former military chief retired in August
2008.
In
addition, the letter revealed the existence of the Special Warfare Department's
secret ammunition depots. The depots were mainly buried underground and their
exact locations are unknown to all except for a few members of the department.
The writer of the letter included a handwritten map of one of the ammunition
depots, which is reportedly in a forested area in the southern province of
Hatay. There are around 100 such depots across Turkey, according to the letter.
“It is very hard to keep an eye on all these depots,” read the letter,
cautioning against the discovery and use of the ammunition by ill-intentioned
people.
The
letter also included the names of several officers working at the Special
Warfare Department.
The
department was, in addition, engaged in activities to keep tabs on many
civilians. The tabs were mainly based on the racial, religious and ideological
backgrounds of those civilians. The civilians were categorized as “Sunni, Turk,
Kurd, Alevi, leftist or rightist.”
“Esteemed
[MİT] undersecretary, it is possible to see that there are some traitors inside
the TSK. However, it is impossible to say that those traitors represent the
entire [TSK] forces,” the writer concluded his letter.
In
the meantime, the Taraf daily reported on Tuesday that prosecutor Mustafa
Bilgili had asked the parliamentary Coup and Memorandum Commission to send him
copies of letters previously sent to MİT and published by Taraf last week,
which revealed illegal activities of structures formed within the Turkish
military. The letters contain information on illegal activities of some groups
set up within the General Staff such as the Special Warfare Department, the
Tactical Mobilization Group (STK), the Special Forces Command (OKK), and the
Wartime Search and Rescue Unit (MAK). The letters are believed to have been written
by authorities who have obtained confidential documents pertaining to these
clandestine groups.
8. Kucuk met with the Azeri Deputies who are illegally
visiting the occupation regime
Under
the title: “The projects were discussed”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
(16.01.13) reports that the so-called prime minister Irsen Kucuk offered
yesterday a luncheon to the Azeri Deputies who are illegally visiting the
occupied area of Cyprus upon an invitation from the so-called “Eastern
Mediterranean University” (DAU).
As
the paper writes, during the luncheon, Kucuk discussed with the Azeri Deputies
the cooperation works which are exerted by the two “countries”, the cooperation
project between illegal DAU and Azerbaijan’s Parliament in the fields of
education and science, and issues related to the flowing of students from
Azerbaijan to the occupation regime.
In
statements during the luncheon, Kucuk referred to the strong ties of friendship
that exist between the occupation regime and Azerbaijan.
The
paper reports on the names of the Azeri Deputies: Malahat Ýbrahimgizi, head of
the delegation and Deputy from the New Azerbaijan Party’s Nasimi region, Malik
Hesanov, Deputy and member of the Natural Resources and Energy Council,
Flora Gasimova, Deputy and member of the
Human Rights Council, Sahiba Gafarova, Deputy and member of the Council of
Culture of National Assembly and vice-rector of Azerbaijan’s Slavic University
and Rustam Khalilov, deputy.
(AK)
9. Former general secretary of
FIFA Champagne continues to promote football of the breakaway regime
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (16.01.13)
reports that former general secretary of FIFA Jerome Champagne, who signed a
protocol for cooperation with the so-called football federation (KTFF) of the
breakaway regime, arrived in the occupied area of Cyprus after making all the
necessary preparation, according to the paper which notes that tomorrow the
meeting between the Cyprus football Federation (KOP) and the “Turkish Cypriot
Football federation” will take place in occupied Lefkosia.
The paper also notes that Mustapha Kesus, a French
sport journalist from Le Monde newspaper, will cover tomorrow’s meeting and
notes that he will travel in occupied Famagusta and occupied Keryneia tomorrow,
to gather information about football in the breakaway regime. Kesus stated to
Kibris that he will bring into the agenda the sport problems in the occupied area
of Cyprus.
10. KTOS reacts to Gunsel’s
letter to Eroglu
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (16.01.13)
reports that Sener Elcil, general secretary of the Turkish Cypriot Teacher’s
Trade Union (KTOS), has reacted against the letter sent by Suat Gunsel,
founding “rector” of the illegal Near East University (“YDU”), to the Turkish
Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu, regarding the developments in the National Unity
Party (UBP) [Translator’s note: See Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Press Review of
16.01.13, Item 3].
In a written statement issued yesterday, Elcil said that
the real face of the political regime imposed on the Turkish Cypriot community
was revealed once more with Gunsel’s statement. According to Elcil, Gunsel
called Eroglu for help, because he sees that the regime, which served him until
today, “is creaking”.
Elcil argued that Gunsel’s cry for help is a joy for
the Turkish Cypriot community.
Elcil accused Gunsel of accepting everything which the
governments in Ankara impose on the Turkish Cypriots and of applauding the AKP.
(I/Ts.)
11. “Elections” approach at
occupied Lefkosia’s “municipality”
Turkish Cypriot daily Haberdar newspaper (16.01.13)
reports that the “municipal council” of the occupied Lefkosia’s “municipality”
has decided to take an advance payment of six million Turkish liras (TL) from the
“government” in order for being able to pay the salaries of the employees.
During a meeting which was held yesterday, four
members of the “council” submitted their resignation. In statements after the
meeting, they said that in case the resignations are accepted, the number of
the members of the “council’ will fall below 50% and “byelections” will be held
for the “municipality” within 60 days.
The members of the “council” who come from the
National Unity Party (UBP) are expected to convene today in order to discuss
the issue of the resignations.
(I/Ts.)
12. Protest against human
trafficking is organized in occupied Lefkosia
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (16.01.13)
reports that various trade unions, civil society organizations and political
parties will participate in a protest titled “No to the sex slavery”, which is
taking place today.
The organizers of the meeting said in a statement
issued yesterday that sex slavery and human trafficking is an open sore subject
both in the free and the occupied area of Cyprus.
Turkish Cypriot Primary School Trade Union (KTOS),
Turkish Cypriot Secondary School Trade Union (KTOEOS), Civil Servants Trade
Union (KTAMS), New Cyprus Party (YKP), and feminist organizations like FEM and
FEMA will participate in the protest.
13. Bagis due to Sweden; Turkey’s EU negotiation
process to be discussed
Ankara
Anatolia news agency (15.01.13) reported that Turkey's European Union Minister
and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis left for Sweden on Tuesday for a series of
formal talks in capital Stockholm.
Speaking
to reporters prior to his departure, Bagis said he was set to meet with his
Swedish counterpart Eva Birgitta Ohlsson Klamberg as well as with Foreign
Minister Carl Bildt and International Development and Cooperation Minister
Gunilla Carlsson. "We will asses
Turkey's European Union membership process. We attach great importance to the
support that countries such as Sweden extend. There are seven political parties
in Sweden and all of them support Turkey's EU accession bid," Bagis said.
14. French Minister of Trade expressed interest in
Turkey's nuclear projects; France seeks to ease political tension with Turkey
through trade ties
Ankara
Anatolia news agency (15.01.13) reported from Istanbul that the French Minister
of Foreign Trade Nicole Bricq said on Tuesday that her country was interested
in Turkey's nuclear projects.
"We
are interested in nuclear projects in Turkey. We want to strengthen our ties
with Turkey again," Bricq told the Anadolu Agency after a meeting in
Istanbul.
Bricq
said trade relations could help Turkey and France to ease tensions recently
seen in political relations, adding that ties between the two countries were
based on an economic partnership. "France and Turkey are two great
nations. We need Turkey and I believe Turkey would need as well a big partner
like France," she said.
Bricq
said Turkey and France had a trade volume of 15 billion euro, adding that her
visit in Turkey was aimed to boost that figure.
The
French Minister also said that she set to meet with her Turkish counterpart and
the Turkish Energy Minister on Wednesday.
15. Turkey’s YOK submitted a bill aiming to remove headscarf ban for
academics; Foreigners to be allowed to open universities in Turkey
According
to Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (15.01.13) the Higher Education Board (YOK) is
seeking to remove the headscarf ban for academics teaching at Turkish
universities, with a bill proposed and submitted to the Education Ministry by
the board on Tuesday.
In
the proposed legislation, YOK states that any discrimination against academics
based on their background, gender, religion or choice of dress should be
prohibited. If the draft law is approved by Parliament, the law will allow
headscarved women to teach at universities.
YOK's
bill also states that students in institutions of higher learning cannot be
discriminated against for their political views, religion, language, race,
gender, choice of dress or any other reason.
A
headscarf ban that prevented students wearing headscarves from receiving an
education at Turkish universities was eliminated by YOK in 2010, but several
universities still impose the ban.
The
education board also states in its legislative proposal that the only feature
that will be used to differentiate between academics will be the qualifications
required for the position. The draft law also went on to state: “People who are
given special treatment as determined by the university committee for reasons
of disability or particular needs cannot be considered within the scope of this
article. Furthermore, academics cannot be suspended from their positions and
they cannot be fired from their jobs by any person or institution other than
institutions of higher learning or high-ranking university managers and supervisory
bodies.”
With
the recent draft law, foreigners will also acquire the right to open private
universities or academic institutions in Turkey. These universities will be run
according to the principles of the foreign country and will not have to comply
with the Turkish higher education principles.
YOK
also plans to bring other substantial changes to universities on issues such as
the election of university rectors and the type of entities allowed to open
universities with its draft law.
Speaking
to the Anatolia news agency on Tuesday, YOK President Prof. Gokhan Cetinsaya
said: “YOK will delegate some of its powers to universities, and university
senates and councils will be using the delegated powers.”
The
bill suggests classifying universities into three categories; universities with
a governing council, universities without a council and new universities. In
relation to this, the bill brings different election models for each category.
Universities with councils must create a board to nominate rector candidates
who will then be assessed by the university council, which will make the final
decision on the new rector. The elected candidate will then will be officially
appointed by the President.
Three
different models are suggested for the election of rectors at universities with
no council. According to the first model, the rector will be elected by the
academics at the university. The second model, however, requires the forming of
an election board for rector election. The last model suggests creating
university senates for the election of rectors.
Under
current law, university rectors are appointed by the President from among
candidates selected by members of the faculty of each university. The draft
legislation also includes a clause that would allow private companies to
establish universities. Currently universities can only be established by the
state or a foundation.
According
to the bill, the name of the board will also be changed to the Turkish Higher
Education Board (TYK).
16. Erdogan and Caglayan on Turkey’s economy; Erdogan:
"Lowest inflation since 1968"
Ankara
Anatolia news agency (15.01.13) reported that the Turkish Prime Minister and
Chairman of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, Recep Tayyip Erdogan
assessed Turkey's economic developments at the Turkish Parliament on Tuesday.
During
his speech at his party's parliamentary group meeting, Erdogan reminded that in
2012, the inflation rate was 6.2 %, which was the lowest inflation rate
achieved in Turkey since 1968.
Erdogan
said that in the past decade his party achieved successful results and added
that at the end of 2002, the inflation rate was about 30%.
After
a long while, in 2004, the inflation rate was dropped to single digits and in
2012, Turkey hit a new record of 6.2% of inflation rate.
Erdodan
stressed that in 2002, main index of Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) was 11,000
in average, yet, in 2012, the index reached an average of 64,000.
He
drew attention to the automotive sales and said that in 2012, the number of car
sales annually was 556,000. In 2002, this was 91,000.
He
also reminded of another record and said: "When we came to office, the foreign
exchange reserves of Turkish Central Bank was $27.5 billion and now it reached
to $122 billion 146 million."
Erdogan
said: "We owed to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) $23.5 billion and
we took over the management with these figures. Now, it is under $1 billion.
Hopefully, with two payments until May, we will write off. As a result of
talks, we lend IMF $5 billion. These are the figures of 2013's first days.
Hopefully, we will continue achieving successful results in 2013, as we did in
2012."
Erdogan
also mentioned newly added projects and said that they will spare 46 billion
Turkish Liras (TL) for 2,737 new projects of 2013. He said that they increased
the annual allowance for projects by 20 % compared to previous year and
explained that the 14 billion TL of the 46 billion TL allowance would be spent
for transportation, the 8 billion TL for education, 6 billion TL for
agriculture and the 3 billion TL for health services.
On
Marmara project and suburban lines, Erdogan said that for the year of 2013 they
spared 9.3 billion TL allowance and said: "Hopefully we will complete it
by September 30 and open for the service. We also spared 8.2 billion TL for the
high-speed rail line between Ankara and Istanbul and also planning to complete
this project on September 30 as well."
Lastly,
Erdogan said that in 2001, the average completion time for projects were 9
years, yet now it has dropped to 3 and a half years.
Meanwhile,
according to Ankara Anatolia news agency, Turkish Minister of Economy Zafer Caglayan
has referred to the household labor force figures for October 2012 and said:
"When we examine the economic situation of the world, I take our
employment rate results as successful."
Caglayan
said that according to the figures, Turkey's labor force reached its highest
with 28 million 51 thousand people in October 2012. Caglayan referred to the
October 2012 household labor force figures in Turkey and said: "There is
serious rise. Number of employed increased by 1 million 23 thousand people compared
to October 2011 and reached to 25 million 509 thousand people in the period of
October 2012."
Caglayan
said that according to results which were published on Tuesday, the
unemployment rate in Turkey was 9.1 percent in October 2012 and added, "It
is a high rate when we just look at that.
I wish we could pull it down. We aim to bring that to 6 to 7 % over the
medium or long term."
According
to the Turkish statistics authority, TurkStat, the number of unemployed people
increased by 87 thousand in the period of October 2012 and reached 2 million
and 541 thousand in Turkey.
Labor
force participation rate (LFPR) was 51% with 1% increase compared to the same
period of the previous year for Turkey in October 2012 period.
17. President's Office, the TSK and the Police, the
most trusted state institutions in Turkey, survey shows; Erdogan the most
trusted political party leader; Davutoglu the most trusted Minister
Turkish
daily Today’s Zaman (16.01.13) reported that a recent opinion poll has shown
that the Office of the President, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and the police
force, in that order, are the most trusted of state institutions by the people
but also indicated that public confidence in all of those institutions is
starting to slip.
The
Ankara-based MetroPOLL Strategic and Social Research Center conducted a survey
on people's confidence in state institutions and compared people's existing
confidence in those institutions with the previous year.
According
to the poll, the people's confidence in the President's Office is measured at
7.6 points out of a full 10 points, and the figure is 7.5 points for the TSK
and 7.3 for the police force. The institutions are followed by the Prime
Ministry with 6.8 points, Parliament and the Constitutional Court with 6.5
points each, the government and the judiciary, both with 6.3 points, the Higher
Education Board (YÖK) with 5.5 points and the media with 5.1 points.
The
public confidence in all institutions is, however, in relative decline.
The
figure for the President's Office was calculated at eight points in December
2011, while the figure for the TSK was 7.7%; the police force was 7.6%; the
Prime Ministry was 7.4%; Parliament was 7.1%; and the media was 5.2 percent.
Among
those least trusted are opposition parties, according to MetroPOLL's new
survey, with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) at 4.3 points and the
Republican People's Party (CHP) at 4.2 points.
The
survey was conducted from September 26- December 1, 2012, by telephone on a
random national sampling of 1,202 adults residing in cities, towns and
villages. The margin of error for the overall poll is 2.8 percentage points, at
a 95% confidence level.
Pollsters
also questioned respondents about their level of confidence in Ministers. According
to the responses, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is most trusted by the
people. He is followed by Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Ali
Babacan, Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arınc, Health Minister Recep Akdag,
Family and Social Policy Minister Fatma Sahin and Transportation Minister
Binali Yıldırım.
Asked
about the course of Turkish democracy, 33.8% of respondents said democracy grew
stronger in 2012. More than 25.8% responded to the contrary and said democracy
grew weaker last year. A full 28% said democracy did not strengthen or weaken
in 2012, while 9.7% declined to comment.
One
of the main questions directed at respondents was about their voting behavior.
If Parliamentary elections were held today, 40.3% of those polled said they
would vote for the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), a figure lower
than the June 12, 2011 general elections, in which the ruling party won around
50% of the vote. This figure is likely to increase at the ballot box for the AK
Party, through the split of the vote of those who are undecided, which the
survey shows to be more than 11%.
The
CHP would receive 18%. This figure shows that the main opposition party has
been unable to maintain its rising popularity among voters since the last
general elections in which it garnered 26% of the national vote. According to
MetroPOLL, the MHP would receive 8.7% of votes cast, while the pro-Kurdish
Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) would garner 4.5%. More than 10% declined to
comment, while 5.1% said they would protest at the ballot box.
The
survey also found that Turks show declining support for the country's bid to
join the 27-nation European Union. While 43% said they support Turkey joining
the EU, 40.7% said they do not. More than 10% said they are undecided, and 5.9%
declined to comment. The support was much higher in previous surveys. One of
the surveys conducted in 2011 showed that more than 53% would vote “yes” if a
referendum were to be held today about Turkey's aspirations to become a full
member of the EU.
Regarding
a question as to which of the existing political party leaders they trusted the
most, 43% of respondents said they trusted Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
the most. Erdogan was followed by CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıcdaroglu with 11% and
the MHP's Devlet Bahceli with 5%.
When
asked about their contentment level, 52.2% of participants said they were
pleased or very pleased with their lives. More than 19% said they were neither
pleased nor unhappy about their lives, while more than 27% said they were
unhappy with their lives.
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
/EI
