Bodrum, Türkiye’s popular tourist destination, is grappling with water scarcity due to the closure of two dams caused by a severe drought. The Municipality of Bodrum has initiated water supply through tankers to meet the needs of its residents.

A significant reduction in precipitation, a consequence of the climate crisis and water distribution pipeline damages have led to a drastic decrease in the water levels of Mumcular Dam and Geyik Dam. The Mumcular Dam, with a water level as low as 8%, was closed to water intake two weeks ago.

Similarly, water intake from Geyik Dam, which was at a critical 13% capacity, was also halted last week.

To address this issue, the Bodrum Municipality has added four more vehicles to its fleet for water transportation in addition to the three vehicles already in use. This totals seven vehicles for planned water supply services.

Between August and October, these tankers delivered 2,432 tons of water to 915 households across various neighborhoods in Bodrum.

Baki Ülgen, a senior official from the Muğla Municipality, explained water conservation is essential for Bodrum. He suggested drawing water from the lower levels of dams to partially meet the water demand and recommended reserving water solely for essential consumption.

The drought has highlighted the need for efficient water management and water conservation practices in regions affected by water scarcity.

Source: Daily Sabah

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Paris, Frankfurt (13/10 –  42)

Twenty-First Century technology has a way of speeding everything up – often overdriving events beyond human control. Exhibit “A”: the internet. Hamas and its supporters were undoubtedly aware of the multiplication impact of social media when they mounted their recent murderous attack on a “peace party” along the Israeli border (twist the irony dial); Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, intent on a blanket reprisal on the Palestinians, apparently does not care what the internet thinks, says or reports.

It is perplexing to the simple-minded when there are no “good guys” in a fight. Note how the vociferous left, long championing what they condemn as “disinformation” or “misinformation”, is now caught in their own web, as barrages of anti-Israel – not to mention pro-Hamas terrorist attack – flood the Web.

Go back a bit. Betar “pioneers” infiltrating British-controlled Palestine in the 1930s harassed the inhabitants by “occupying” ancient water sources and springs – thus preventing the Bedouins and farmers from accessing them. No water = no life.

This is related in detail in the memoir of Moshe Arens.

A video clip of an Arab man and his elderly father confronting an Israeli settler, explaining patiently that the newcomer had stolen and now occupied the old man’s land. The Arab showed the Israeli the deed. The settler responded by stating that God had given him the land.

A situation without a resolution.

An ugly history leads up to the present impossible conundrum. The Haavara Agreement, signed in 1933 by an unlikely collaboration between Zionists and German Nazis, facilitated the emigration of German Jews to Palestine, taking assets pointedly used to purchase German goods for export to that sad land. Most of the Jewish population of Germany, comfortable and prosperous, declined to move to the desert (which the British controlled, in any case, and did not welcome settlers). They had no idea of what lay in store for them, as the Jewish Agency for Palestine, the main Zionist organization there at that time, played a key role in organizing illegal immigration of Jews from Europe.

Technology exacerbates the hostility, by stoking rumors, conjectures, info and disinfo. Was Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu aware of the impending attack – considering little Israel has the most advanced military intelligence capability on the planet? Did the Egyptians not pass urgent warnings to Israel of a likely Hamas military move? Was the attack a “false flag” event laid by Netanyahu to shore up his political position? We’ll likely never know. What we do know is the furious backlash of the authorities to the media blitz.

As BLM supporters gloried in the terrorist attack, and supporters of Israel battled back in the media, the European Commission piled in, warning billionaire-joker Elon Musk that “X”, née “Twitter”, that allowing what the EC ceremoniously deemed “hate speech” was unacceptable.  According to guidelines set up by the “Digital Services Act”, rules were being breached, by jaw-snapping, foaming-at-the-mouth rabid commentors on all sides of the current matter. This dictum from “Europäischer Kommissar” Thierry Breton, wielding a whip over the reckless social media site.

“Let me remind you that the Digital Services Act sets very precise obligations regarding content moderation.”

Musk comes back and challenges the saucy Info-Eurocrat with “What are you talking about? Give me examples” but the Kommissar won’t step into that trap, instead primly hand-waving with “Vu, merci. You are well aware of your users’ — and authorities’— reports on fake content and glorification of violence.

“Up to you to demonstrate that you walk the talk.” [The gent means “…walk the walk…” and not just “…talk the talk…”] Idioms, Thierry, idioms!

He signs off with an unctuous “My team remains at your disposal to ensure DSA compliance, which the EU will continue to enforce rigorously.”

A challenge to which Mr. Musk promptly replied, X’ing it out:

“We take our actions in the open.

“No back room deals.

“Please post your concerns explicitly on this platform.”

 – Elon Musk

Now do you see why he shelled out the billions to buy this nonsense social media site? What fun, to tease and tickle the hypocritical Eurocrats.

What is actually accurate or fake in this kangaroo court of social media? Are we to only accept the government stamp-of-approval-issued content? Think Pravda, think Izvestia (wink, wink). Ditto for the corporate media, obedient and in league with the Official Party Line.

Deep State undoubtedly has its feelings hurt that there are no longer direct lines, offices, perks and money for FBI, CIA and other “truth agents” in the TwitteRealm.

For that matter, why are millions of previously-trusting consumers now justifiably wary of their governments cajoling, threatening and mandating the so-called “vaccine”, untested mRNA “single-stranded RNA … in a growing protein chain” into their bloodstreams? Tens of thousands crippled, thousands dead maybe? You won’t see a single case of vaccine injury on CNBC, and no hospital will ever admit to such a possibility. It’s all over the internet.

Did the Israeli authorities, and military, just stand by and allow their citizens to be kidnapped and murdered? Were they simply incompetent, unaware, distracted? Is there a “back-story”?

Will we ever know? The media barrage is intense. Advertisers are perplexed. The world is being dragged into an unending domestic disturbance in the Middle East, one with no solution, across an ancient land poisoned by hatred and greed.

The Israelis declare “This is our 9/11.” Considering the enormous doubts raised about that spectacle, their statement may be truer than they imagine.

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Frankfurt, Brussels (11/3 – 120

Tajikistan’s reliance on a limited range of export products, including aluminium and cotton, makes its economy vulnerable to external shocks, such as changes in global demand or prices. Diversifying the export base by promoting new industries and products could help to reduce this vulnerability and create new opportunities for growth. The problem is the kleptocratic approach of a Stalin like economic regime of the Rahmonov clan.

Improving trade relationships with existing partners, such as China, Turkey, Russia, Iran, and Afghanistan, and exploring new markets could also help to expand the country’s export base. However, to achieve this, it will be important to address the challenges that currently limit trade, such as inadequate infrastructure, cumbersome regulations, investment political stability and corruption. None of above-mentioned building blocks are in place. Tajikistan remains on the bottom of the development data of the world bank. 

Tajikistan’s imports, which are dominated by energy and capital goods, highlight the country’s dependence on imports for its economic development. This underscores the importance of developing domestic industries and reducing reliance on imported low quality Chinese or Russian products. Investing in infrastructure, including energy and transportation, could help to reduce the cost of imported goods and promote local production.

In addition to economic challenges, Tajikistan also faces environmental and social challenges related to the production of cotton, including water scarcity, soil degradation, and labour exploitation. Addressing these challenges will require a concerted effort from the current regime and future government, civil society, and the private sector to promote pragmatic practices.

Tourism has the potential to significantly boost Tajikistan’s economy. The country’s natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and historical significance make it an attractive destination for travellers. With proper investment in tourism infrastructure, marketing, and development of local tourism products, Tajikistan can attract more international tourists, create employment opportunities, and generate revenue. 

However, there are challenges such as the lack of adequate tourism infrastructure and services, safety concerns, and insufficient marketing efforts. The killing of foreigner bikers a few years ago severely undermined the credibility of the Rahmon regime. Nevertheless, if the government and private sector work together to address these challenges, tourism could become a major contributor to Tajikistan’s economic growth. 

“Look over the border to neighbouring Kazakhstan”, said Armin Schneider speaking on the side-lines of the 6^th World Tourism Conference held in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia late November last year, “Political leadership makes a difference if a country enjoys the benefits of tourism or is shunned.” 

He added, the known problem of drugs, corruption of police, political violence, the looming terror threat from Afghanistan, the persecution of Tajik minorities, the Pamirs, and known kleptocracy by the elites do not make a case to promote Tajikistan. But he was optimistic that these challenges can be met by Tajikistan leaders which has a rich history in the region. 

The presence of significant natural resources in Tajikistan, including gold, silver, and antimony, as well as coal, gas, and oil, presents an opportunity for the country to develop its mining sector and generate revenue. However, this will require careful management to ensure that the benefits are shared equitably.

The country’s extensive hydroelectric power resources also offer significant potential for economic development and regional integration. The construction of power plants and transmission lines, as envisioned by President Rahmon, could help to increase access to electricity and create new opportunities for businesses and communities. It will be important to ensure that these projects are sustainable in terms of their economic viability.

The measures taken by the Tajik authorities to defer tax collections and ease monetary policy may provide some relief in the short term, but sustainable economic growth will require more comprehensive reforms. These could include improving the business climate to attract foreign investment, promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, and investing in infrastructure, education, and healthcare. The outbreak of the Chinese Langya virus (langya henipavirus) shown the lack of healthcare response by the Tajik regime. 

In addition to economic development, efforts should also be made to address social issues, including gender inequality, education, and healthcare. Investing in education and promoting gender equality can help to create a more skilled and diverse workforce, while improving access to healthcare can help to reduce poverty and improve overall well-being.

It is crucial for the international community to provide support to Tajikistan in addressing these challenges. This support could include financial aid, technical assistance, and capacity-building initiatives aimed at improving food security, increasing access to healthcare, and promoting economic development. Additionally, it is essential to ensure that any assistance is provided in a transparent and accountable manner to prevent corruption and ensure that resources reach those in need.

Long-term solutions to these issues require sustainable development strategies that focus on improving infrastructure, creating job opportunities, and promoting inclusive economic growth. Such efforts could help to reduce poverty and food insecurity while taking lessons from successes in the region. It is unclear how Tajikistan will fare in the near future of being another failed state or an emerging force enable its own rich heritage and cultures to withstand the uncertainties of a post-Afghanistan under Taliban rule, or return to the Russian dominance of Stalin-like policies.

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Local Iraqi media reported that Turkish drones bombarded some areas in the north of Duhok province located in the Kurdistan region in north Iraq twice on Saturday.

According to the “Shafaq News” website, citing security sources in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Turkey bombarded an area near the two villages of “Koharzi” and “Blafe” on Metin mountain in Amedi district in the north of Duhok province, stirring panic among the residents of the area.

Lebanese Al-Mayadeen TV network also reported that a base where PKK elements were said to be present was targeted in the attack.

Since last week, due to the presence of PKK elements in the mountainous areas of the region in Duhok province, those areas have been targeted by Turkish fighter jets almost on a daily basis.

From time to time, the Turkish military carries out air strikes on PKK positions, which is listed as a terrorist group by the EU, US and Turkey.

The Turkish military is said to have more than a dozen military bases in northern Iraq and many more in Syria under the pretext of fighting PKK terrorism.

Both Iraq and Syria have condemned the presence of the Turkish military on their soil as a violation of their territorial integrity and have called on Ankara to pull out its troops. 

Source: MEHR News

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Trouble appears to be brewing on Afghanistan’s border with the remote Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, or GBAO, in eastern Tajikistan.

Or at least it appears to be.

As is often the way in Tajikistan, relying on the official narrative for a sense of the unfolding events is proving more confounding than enlightening.

On April 28, Khovar state news agency reported that a high-ranking security services officer was earlier that day killed during an armed clash with an alleged gang of drug smugglers trying to cross into Tajik territory.

The State Committee for National Security, or GKNB, said in a statement that three of the attackers dumped drugs, weapons and ammunition and fled back into Afghanistan, but that another three Tajik accomplices had been detained. The haul of abandoned items is said to have comprised 45 kilograms of heroin, one Kalashnikov assault rifle with four magazines, 74 cartridges, night-vision goggles, and $10,000 in cash.

RFE/RL’s Tajik service, Radioi Ozodi, named the killed officer as Komron Rajabzoda, the head of the GKNB in the capital of GBAO, Khorog. If this detail is confirmed, Rajabzoda will be highest-ranking GKNB officer to have been killed in the line of duty in the mountainous Pamirs region since General Abdullo Nazarov, the then-head of the regional branch of the GKNB, was stabbed to death in 2012.

Earlier in the week, video images of another clash along the border in eastern Tajikistan circulated on social media.

In a subsequent account, the GKNB said that two people it claimed were members of a militant group had early on April 26 crossed into Tajikistan in the vicinity of Yazgulom, in the GBAO’s Vanj district, with the intention of carrying out a terrorist act. The same statement said both individuals were killed in an anti-terrorist operation.

In its own statement, the Foreign Ministry implied that the attackers were operating at the behest of an unspecified organization. 

“Both terrorists were neutralized by the law enforcement agencies … Their insidious plan was thwarted, as were the intentions of their patrons,” the ministry said. 

Bomdod, a Prague-based news website focused on Tajik current affairs, cited its own unnamed sources as saying that six people had filtered across the border and that two were known to be Tajik citizens. The outlet cited sources as saying that while two men were killed, another four members of the same group fled the scene and had gone into hiding. The group is suspected to be made up of members of the Jamaat Ansarullah militant group, Bomdod quoted its sources as saying.

None of these details could be independently verified.

There is yet more backstory, however. On April 20 or thereabouts, the Embassy of Afghanistan in the capital, Dushanbe, which is still run by avowed opponents of the regime now in charge of Kabul, held a ceremony in memory of Afghan fighters and leaders killed by the Taliban.

A flurry of indignant social media activity ensued among sympathizers of the Taliban regime. One Twitter user with almost 35,000 followers wrote in a Pashtun-language post, without providing evidence, that the government of Tajikistan was hatching a plot to mount an attack on Afghanistan. Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has made little secret of his dislike of the Taliban, but he has at no point even suggested that he was prepared to engage in armed conflict with his militant neighbors to the south.

In the event, however, the incursion appears to have gone in the other direction. Another seemingly Afghan Twitter user claimed on April 23 to have been informed by unnamed sources that a “group of [four] Tajik terrorists” had entered Tajikistan and that they were being hunted down by the authorities. This tweet was posted three days prior to the date that Tajik GKNB said the alleged Jamaat Ansarullah cell had made its incursion.

Accounts of an incursion taking place on April 23 were also relayed by Bomdod and Azda.tv, a news website linked to the opposition-in-exile. The reporting of those outlets hinted at a less illustrious performance by GKNB. Their articles suggested that four of the people crossing the border had managed to flee and that the security services were doing house-to-house searches in a vain attempt to locate them.

It is not clear that those reputed fugitives have been captured, nor is it known why the GKNB has sought to convey the impression this clash took place three days after the real date.

Various bits of footage shared online have done little to clarify the chronology of events. One shows what appears to be a gunfight taking place in the daytime somewhere in the Vanj district. It is not clear when the footage was filmed. In another clip, an 18-year-old resident of the same area tells the person filming, apparently a soldier, that two unknown people turned up at his home – one of them speaking Yazghulyam, a Pamiri language, while the other spoke in Tajik – and asked for bread. The man said the pair were carrying automatic rifles.

The strange and unexplained aspects of these episodes have prompted some critics of the secretive and authoritarian government to question the official narrative. Anora Sarkorova, a Tajik journalist based in Europe, speculated that the government may be growing concerned at the sustained international criticism leveled at it over the intense security crackdown it has unleashed against people in the Pamirs, a population ethnically distinct from the majority Tajiks, over the past two years.

Casting doubt on the accuracy of the GKNB’s statement, Sarkorova suggested, without providing evidence, that claims of a militant attack may have been fabricated.

“The regime is capable of drawing up any report, filming any video with fake terrorists and pretend weapons,” she wrote on her Telegram account. “They have been filming this same movie in Tajikistan for years now.”

Source: Eurasia Net

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Paylan, who criticized the American military presence in Greece, was repeating the propaganda arguments frequently used by the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan about supposed US military bases in Greece.

Claiming that the real winner of the tension between Greece and Turkey is the United States, Paylan stated that a quarrel between the Turkish and Greek leaders had led to a rise in nationalism.

“Look, the US quadrupled its number of military bases [in Greece], and the number of American soldiers has also increased,” said Paylan.

The supposed US military bases in Greece are frequently brought up by the government-funded Turkish media and nationalist circles that support the government. Claiming that US bases are targeting Turkey, pro-government experts give contradictory figures for the number of bases. Paylan also seems to have been influenced by the government’s rhetoric and pro-government media coverage when he claimed the number of US military bases had quadrupled.

Erdoğan, following a Cabinet meeting last May, harshly criticized Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who asked during an address to the US Congress that the US decline to sell dozens of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.

The US got its share of Erdoğan’s anger as he criticized the US’s growing military presence in the neighboring country. “There are nearly 10 [US] bases in Greece,” he claimed. “Who is being threatened with these bases? Why are these bases being established in Greece?”

Erdoğan had previously stated that Greece itself had become a US military base. “At the moment, I can’t count all the American bases in Greece, there are so many. … It almost looks like Greece itself is a US base,” Erdoğan had said. 

However, there’s only one actual US base in Greece, at Souda Bay, which the US has operated since 1969. American forces have been granted access to four additional Greek bases according to the US-Greece Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) signed in October 2021 and ratified by the Greek parliament on May 13.

According to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency, the defense agreement will permit the US military to use Georgula Barracks in Greece’s central province of Volos, the Litochoro Training Ground and an army barracks in the northeastern port city of Alexandroupoli, apart from the naval base at Souda Bay on Crete.

Some pro-government experts attribute the increasing American military presence in Greece to the uneasy relations and a crisis of confidence between Turkey and the US in recent years. According to them, the US has disrupted the balance that had been carefully maintained since the Cold War between its two NATO allies in favor of Greece instead of Turkey.

However, it is not the first time that Paylan has used the rhetoric of the Erdoğan government. At a parliamentary session on November 22, 2022, during which the budget of the Ministry of Defense was negotiated, Paylan accused the Gülen movement, a group critical of the Erdoğan regime, of involvement in an incident in which two policemen were killed in the Ceylanpınar district of Şanlıurfa in 2015. After the assassination of the police officers, the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) claimed responsibility but later announced that it was not involved. 

However, Paylan’s party, the HDP, still argues that the murders were organized by Erdoğan, who lost his parliamentary majority in the general election of June 7, 2015. The HDP, like opposition parties, claims that the murders took place in order to end Erdoğan’s negotiations with the Kurds in order to get nationalist votes before the new elections on November 1, 2015, due to the failure to form a government. The association of the Gülen movement with such an incident that would benefit the Erdoğan government the most had never been mentioned before by anyone other than Paylan.

After the policemen were killed, the Turkish army bombed PKK targets in Iraq. Between June 7 and November 1, Turkey witnessed a bloody period in which 862 people, both civilians and soldiers, lost their lives. In the elections held on November 1, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) regained its parliamentary majority and came to power without the need for a coalition.

Paylan had lambasted opponents who criticize the Turkish government at meetings abroad during a parliamentary committee session last year.

Source: Nordic Monitor

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Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has little time to bask in his electoral triumph

After claiming victory in Sunday’s presidential election run-off, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said “Turkey was the only winner” as he addressed jubilant supporters. Yet while the veteran president’s loyalists celebrate, millions of other Turks will be hanging their heads in dismay, agonising over what another five years of the strongman’s rule means for their polarised country. They are right to be worried. Even Erdoğan, who has dominated Turkish politics for two decades, must realise that he has no time to bask in his triumph if his nation is to avoid plunging deeper into economic crisis. 

The elections took place against the backdrop of an acute cost of living crisis, with Turkey’s currency trading at record lows and inflation hovering around 44 per cent. The crisis is largely a result of Erdoğan’s pursuit of unorthodox economic policies: he has railed against high interest rate rises while inflation soared and neutered the central bank’s independence. 

Pressure on the state’s diminishing resources will be increased by a string of blatant election giveaways, including changing retirement age regulations and increasing civil servants’ salaries. Its foreign currency and gold reserves tumbled $17bn in the six weeks before the first round of voting on May 14 as Erdoğan sought to prop up the economy and currency ahead of the polls, according to Financial Times calculations of official data. The state is also grappling with a near-record current account deficit. 

Yet Erdoğan’s policies, coupled with his penchant for picking fights with western allies and his drift towards authoritarianism, long ago scared off foreign investors who could provide much needed hard currency. This is not sustainable. The state is running out of resources to defend the lira. 

Erdoğan has to put aside his personal quirks, return to a conventional monetary policy and take serious steps to restore credibility to state institutions. Only then would Ankara have any chance of convincing wary investors to return. But if Erdoğan is true to form, the west can expect another era of unpredictable and testy relations with the Nato member. 

There are also concerns about what Erdoğan’s victory will mean for the country’s democracy. Since first leading his Justice and Development party (AKP) to power 21 years ago, he has consolidated power and centralised decision-making to unprecedented levels, edging ever closer to one-man rule. He has replaced Turkey’s parliamentary democracy with an all-powerful executive presidency since pushing through a constitutional referendum in 2017. Elections take place on an unlevel playing field. The mainstream media has mostly come under the control of the government. Opposition politicians, journalists, academics and businessmen languish in prisons.

The list of those incarcerated includes Selahattin Demirtaş, the leader of the Kurdish-dominated Peoples’ Democratic party (HDP), who has been behind bars since 2016. The spectre of a ban from politics — and possible prison — hangs over Ekrem İmamoğlu, Istanbul’s mayor and a senior figure in the Republican People’s party (CHP), the main opposition party, after he was convicted in December of insulting electoral officials. 

Many others will be fearful about their civil liberties. During the campaign, Erdoğan, who has courted ultranationalists, repeatedly attacked his opponent, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, for being pro-LGBT rights and for supporting terrorists, a thinly veiled reference to his outreach to Kurdish voters.

The president’s supporters will point to another victory at the ballot box as further evidence of Erdoğan’s enduring popularity. But the fact that he was forced into the run-off after neither he nor Kılıçdaroğlu garnered more than 50 per cent of the vote in the first round underlines the political chasm between those who love or loathe the divisive leader. Constitutionally, this should be Erdoğan’s final term. If indeed it is, he would be wise to consider the legacy he intends to leave. But whatever course he charts, Turkey risks heading into worryingly stormy waters.

Source: FT

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has parlayed his country’s NATO membership and location straddling Europe and the Middle East into international influence, is favored to win reelection in a presidential runoff Sunday, despite a host of domestic issues.

Erdogan, 69, who has amassed greater powers during his 20 years in office, finished a first-round election on May 14 just short of a victory and also retained a majority in parliament. That came despite rampant inflation and the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake that killed over 50,000 people in the country’s south.

His challenger in the runoff is Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the 74-year-old leader of the main opposition social democratic Republican People’s Party and the joint candidate of a six-party alliance, who has promised to undo years of democratic backsliding under Erdogan, to repatriate Syrian refugees and promote rights of women.

Here’s a look at the main domestic issues shaping the election, and where Erdogan and his challenger stand:

ERDOGAN’S ECONOMICS

Contrary to the mainstream economic theory of interest rate increases helping to keep consumer prices in check, Erdogan maintains that high borrowing rates cause inflation. The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey, under pressure from the president, repeatedly slashed interest rates to boost growth and exports.

Instead, the value of the Turkish lira nosedived, and the rate cuts exacerbated a cost-of-living crisis. Inflation peaked at 85% in October. The official April figure was 44%, although independent groups say they think the actual rate is much higher.

To offset the impacts of inflation and win back votes, Erdogan has engaged in a public spending spree ahead of the elections, increasing the minimum wage and pension payments.

The opposition alliance has promised to restore the central bank’s independence and a return to orthodox economic policies, if Kilicdaroglu becomes president.

Erdogan reportedly has asked Mehmet Simsek, his internationally respected former finance minister, to return to the position, a sign that a new government may embrace more orthodox policies, if the Turkish leader wins a third presidential term.

On Thursday, Erdogan described Turkey’s economy, banking system and financial system as “sound.” He also said, however, that Gulf states, which he did not name, had “deposited money” in Turkey, providing temporary “relief.”

RECOVERING FROM DISASTER

Turkey is grappling with a difficult recovery from February’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake, the deadliest quake in the country’s modern history. It destroyed or damaged more than 300,000 buildings. Hundreds of thousands of residents are sheltering in temporary accommodation like tents. Some 658,000 people were left jobless, according to the International Labor Organization.

The World Bank estimates that the earthquake caused $34.2 billion in “direct damages” — an amount equivalent to 4% of Turkey’s 2021 gross domestic product. The recovery and reconstruction costs could add up to twice that much, the international financial institution said.

Erdogan’s government, meanwhile, has been accused of setting the stage for the devastation with lax building code enforcement. Some people left homeless or struggling to earn money also found the government’s earthquake response to be slow.

Despite the criticism, in the parliamentary election Erdogan’s alliance won 10 out 11 provinces in areas affected by the quake, signaling that the president’s focus on rebuilding during the campaigning has paid off. Erdogan has pledged to construct 319,000 homes within the year and has attended a number of groundbreaking ceremonies, trying to persuade voters that only he can rebuild lives and businesses.

Kilicdaroglu says his government would give houses to quake victims for free instead of the 20-year repayment plan envisaged by Erdogan’s government.

REFUGEES NO LONGER SO WELCOME

Refugees, especially those fleeing civil war in neighboring Syria, were once greeted with open arms in Turkey, but anti-migration sentiment is on the rise amid the economic downturn. A shortage of housing and shelters in the quake-hit provinces has increased calls for Syrian refugees to go home.

The soft-mannered Kilicdaroglu had vowed to repatriate Syrians within two years, saying he would seek European Union funds to build homes, schools, hospitals and roads in Syria and encourage Turkish entrepreneurs to open factories and other businesses there. In a bid to woo nationalist voters in the lead up to the runoff race, Kilicdaroglu hardened his tone, saying he would send refugees packing within a year of being elected. He has since also won the backing of an anti-migrant party.

Under mounting public pressure, Erdogan’s government has begun constructing thousands of brick homes in Turkish-controlled areas of northern Syria to encourage voluntary returns. On Thursday, Erdogan announced in a television interview that Qatar was funding a separate housing project that would help resettle up to a million Syrians.

His government is also seeking reconciliation with Syrian President Bashir Assad to ensure their safe return.

Erdogan said Thursday there are some 4 million refugees in Turkey, including around 3.4 million Syrians, but anti-migrant parties say the figure is closer to 13 million.

A MORE DEMOCRATIC TURKEY?

The coalition of six parties has declared a commitment to restore Turkey as a parliamentary democracy and to give citizens greater rights and freedoms should their alliance win the elections.

Erdogan succeeded in getting a presidential system of governance narrowly approved by referendum in 2017 and introduced in 2018. The new system abolished the office of the prime minister and concentrated a vast amount of powers in the hands of the president.

The alliance has outlined plans for a greater separation of powers, including an increased role for parliament and an independent judiciary.

Kilicdaroglu has also promised to do away with a law that makes insulting the president a criminal offense punishable by prison. He has pledged to abide by decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, which have called for the release of former pro-Kurdish party co-chair Selahattin Demirtas and philanthropist businessman and human rights activist Osman Kavala from prison.

But lacking a parliamentary majority, Kilicdaroglu would face an uphill battle implementing the democratic reforms even if he is elected.

WILL THE ELECTION AFFECT WOMEN’S AND LGBTQ+ RIGHTS?

Seeking to widen his support from voters, Erdogan has expanded his own political alliance with two nationalist parties to include a small Islamist party and also secured the backing of a radical Kurdish-Islamist party.

The parties newly recruited into Erdogan’s camp have Islamic agendas, which have raised fears about the future of women’s rights in Turkey. They want to scrap laws on alimony and domestic violence protection, arguing they encourage women to leave their husbands and threaten traditional family values.

Erdogan already has removed Turkey from a European convention that aims to prevent domestic violence – a nod to religious groups that claimed the treaty encourages divorce and LGBTQ+ rights. Pandering to his pious and conservative supporters, Erdogan and other members of his ruling party have called LGBTQ+ individuals “deviants.”

The Kilicdaroglu-led alliance has vowed to rejoin the European treaty and to uphold the rights of women and minority communities. Kilicdaroglu has also reached out to conservative women, assuring them they will be able to continue wearing Islamic-style headscarves that were once banned in schools and government offices under Turkey’s secular laws.

WHAT ABOUT FOREIGN POLICY?

Under Erdogan, Turkey has, at times, become a difficult NATO ally, often pursuing its own agenda. It has cultivated close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and blocked the alliance’s expansion. However, it has also emerged as a key mediator between Russia and Ukraine, helping broker a crucial deal that allowed Ukrainian grain shipments and alleviate a food crisis.

The opposition alliance has signaled it would pursue a more Western-oriented foreign policy and seek to rebuild ties with the United States, the European Union and NATO allies.

The Kilicdaroglu-led opposition says it would work for Turkey’s reinstatement to the U.S.-led F-35 fighter jet program, from which the country was ousted following the Erdogan government’s purchase of a Russian-made air defense system.

At the same time, a Kilicdaroglu-led government is expected to try to balance Turkey’s economic ties with Russia.

An opposition win also could result in Turkey ending its veto of Sweden’s request to join NATO. Erdogan’s government has blocked Sweden’s accession into the alliance, pressing the country to crackdown on Kurdish militants and other groups that Turkey regards as terrorist threats.

Source: Spectrum Local News

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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The governor of Turkey’s Sirnak province on Friday announced the discovery of new oil reserves and expressed hope for the economic future of the province amid a cost of living crisis.

“Right now in eight regions of Sirnak explorations are being carried out,” Governor Osman Bilgin told reporters. “This means that exploration-related operations are being carried out in all of Sirnak’s mountains.”

Sirnak is a small province in southeastern Turkey, bordering the Kurdistan Region.

In December, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the discovery of an oil field in Sirnak’s Gabar Mountain, containing an estimated 150 million barrels valued at approximately $12 billion.

According to Bilgin, the latest discovery is estimated to be around five to 10 times the volume found in Gabar.

He said the discovery is good news for the province. “From now on Sirnak will not discuss unemployment or issues. It will discuss beautiful things, such as sport and production,” he said.

Turkey is struggling with crippling economic woes with its currency losing value and people facing soaring inflation and a cost of living crisis.

On Friday, the Turkish lira plummeted to an all-time low, with 20 liras trading for one US dollar.

Source: Rudaw

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Republicans demand action from Biden over Turkey’s $500k bounty on Enes Kanter Freedom

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was forced to suspend his election campaign events on Wednesday after abruptly falling ill during a live television interview.

Erdogan tweeted after the appearance, “Today I will rest at home upon the advice of my doctors… with God’s permission, we will continue our campaign from tomorrow onwards.”

His sudden illness forced him to cancel a live appearance for the opening ceremony of a Russian-owned nuclear power plant in southern Turkey and comes amid a high-stakes Turkish election that is expected to come down to the wire.

An election triumph by a former civil servant dubbed the “Turkish Gandhi” on May 14 over Turkey’s strongman leader Erdogan – who has controlled the levers of power for 20 years in the strategically important country that straddles the Mideast and Europe – would have far-reaching implications for U.S. foreign policy interests.

Elections polls show a razor-close race between Erdogan and his social democratic Republican People’s Party competitor Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who recently declared that he is a member of the persecuted Alevi Muslim minority community within a country dominated by Sunni Islam.

Turkish opposition leaders have nominated Kemal Kilicdaroglu to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The 74-year-old Kilicdaroglu, who heads an opposition group of six parties, had recently been slightly ahead of Erdogan in recent polling. However, two polls last week showed Erdogan ahead.

Billboards display Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Istanbul, Wednesday, April 19, 2023, and proclaim, “For the Turkish century, the right time, the right man.” Presidential elections in Turkey are scheduled to take place on May 14.

Michael Rubin, a Middle East expert for the American Enterprise Institute, who has written extensively about Erdogan, said if Kilicdaroglu dislodges Erdogan, “It would absolutely be a good thing” for the security interests of the U.S. and American allies. 

Rubin said, “The sooner Erdogan is gone, the quicker Turkey can recover. The danger is that so many diplomats and security officials believe simplistically that the problem in Turkey is just Erdogan rather than a much broader ideology and twisted historical narrative. The United States must base its policy on Turkey’s behavior, not wishful thinking or the assurances of retired American diplomats who have a personal financial interest in Turkish businesses and close ties.”

The 69-year-old Erdogan has picked major fights with the U.S. over the decades, ranging from barring American troops from utilizing Turkish soil as an entry point to invade Iraq in 2003 to launching Turkish military strikes on the U.S.-allied Kurdish forces who helped America oust the Islamic State.

Turkey claims that the Kurdish forces in Syria are linked to the Turkey and U.S.-designated terrorist organization Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani meet on April 4, 2018, in Ankara.

In 2020, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Turkey for its purchases of Russian S-400 air defense systems. Turkey is a member of the U.S.-led North American Treaty Alliance (NATO) that was designed to blunt Russian expansionism and military power.

Erdogan has caused political headaches for the U.S. by initially blocking Finland and Sweden from joining NATO. Finland recently gained admission and Sweden is waiting on its bid to be approved. 

Uzay Bulut, a Turkish analyst and research fellow for the Philos Project, sees an uphill battle to repair American-Turkish relations. Erdogan’s attacks on U.S. foreign policy have generated intense anti-Americanism in the nation of just over 85 million people. 

Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan listen to his speech during a campaign rally in Istanbul, Friday, April 21, 2023.

Bulut told Fox News Digital, “More than 94% of the people who spoke to the Areda Survey in 2021, for instance, said they do not believe that the U.S. is a friend to Turkey. According to various polls, the United States leads the list of most hated countries among Turks.”

She added, “Expecting the opposition to implement a pro-U.S., pro-NATO or pro-EU foreign policy would not be very realistic. Just like Erdogan, they will do whatever they believe their national interests require them to do. And this includes supporting China or other authoritarian regimes”

Questions abound about a new Turkish policy to the Syrian dictatorship of President Bashar Assad and whether Erodgan’s autocratic-style of leadership will permit a free and fair election.

Bulut said, “There has been no major objection to Turkey’s military presence in Syria from the opposition alliance. The only party who seriously objects to Turkey’s criminal actions in Syria is the Kurdish political opposition in Turkey.”

She added, “I don’t think a free and fair election is really possible in Turkey. Erdogan seems capable of doing anything to stay in power, including stealing the elections or causing violence in society in the event of his defeat in elections.”

Rubin echoed Bulut’s view about a Kilicdaroglu government withdrawing Turkish troops from Syria, stating, “Wishful thinking about Turkey is a chronic disease among American diplomats, and epidemic among Turkish expatriate journalists.”

People walk past banners with the photograph of presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, April 18, 2023.

Rubin said, “Erdogan is no democrat. Period. He will cheat. He will manipulate. He will deny. He will calculate that the European Union will eventually give in, whether because many countries fear a wave of refugees pouring across the Turkish frontier or because Germany knows Erdogan can activate terror cells among the Turkish diaspora in that country. As for the United States, Biden’s record at holding firm suggests a serious need for diplomatic Viagra his advisers are not willing to prescribe.”

In an April, 18 column in the pro-Erdogan newspaper The Daily Sabah, Burhanettin Duran, a professor at Social Sciences University of Ankara, tackled the “Difference Between Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu.” Duran wrote that “Under Erdogan’s leadership, Türkiye has been among the most active countries in this new global and regional chapter.” 

Duran, who is a member of the Turkish Presidency Security and Foreign Policies Council, continued, “By contrast, Kilicdaroglu remains unimpressive, mainly in foreign policy, national security and national defense. His party has not made any severe pledges except dialogue with Syria and launching a new regional organization in the Middle East.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Turkish government about the election and its foreign policy. 

The soft-spoken Kilicdaroglu secured a reputation for rooting out corruption during his time running the country’s Social Security Institution. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting in Tehran, Iran, July 19, 2022. 

Kilicdaroglu’s striking resemblance to the Indian nationalist leader Mahatma Gandhi, along with his low-key demeanor, earned him the nickname “Turkish Gandhi” or “Gandhi Kermal.” When he was assaulted in the Turkish parliament in 2014 via punches to the face causing bruises, he told his fellow MPs to relax, declaring, “The path to democracy is full of obstacles.”

Erdogan’s handling of the horrific earthquakes in February that killed more than 50,000 Turkish residents has placed question marks over his role in construction safety in a region long vulnerable to earthquakes. The combination of alleged lax safety standards during Erdogan’s building boom and a reportedly defective relief effort after the earthquake are burning campaign topics.

Rubin, the Turkey expert who is a fierce critic of Erdogan, argues that “after 20 years of Erdoganism, the problem is no longer one man but the entire system. Erdogan has both reshaped the bureaucracy (in) his own image, and he has also demonstrated to the opposition what a potent tool unhinged Turkish nationalism can be. Erdogan has left an economy in tatters, one that won’t be easily fixed.”

Protesters demonstrate against the detention of 110 people over alleged militant ties. The operation came less than three weeks before the biggest electoral challenge President Tayyip Erdogan has faced since he came to power in 2002.

Ragip Soylu, the Turkey bureau chief for Middle East Eye, who previously worked for the Daily Sabah, outlined why Erdogan remains a formidable candidate and his recent achievements in an April policy article for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. 

Soylu notes that Erdogan “has repaired damaged relations with Arab heavyweights over the past couple of years. One result was that, in 2021, the United Arab Emirates agreed to a $5 billion currency swap with Ankara and pledged to invest $10 billion in Turkey’s start-ups and high-tech industry.”

President Joe Biden meets with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the NATO summit in Madrid, June 29, 2022. 

Erdogan is seeking to be somewhat more inclusive in a shift away from his brass-knuckle style of power politics. “Erdogan invited opposition representatives and his media critics to the event held to promote this concept, calling on them to acknowledge all his government has done in the service of Turkish society,” wrote Soylu.

The confluence of perhaps the most pivotal election in Turkey’s history, coupled with the100th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923, has electrified commentators, Turks and observers of the Ankara’s complex politics. The stakes are high for the U.S., NATO, the volatile Middle East and Europe.

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department told Fox News Digital, “Türkiye is a long-standing U.S. ally and partner. We will continue to work together with the government chosen by the Turkish people to deepen cooperation around shared priorities.”

Source: Fox News

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