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  • BAKU: 365 days in Turkey

    Trend, Azerbaijan
    Jan 1 2015


    365 days in Turkey

    1 January 2015, 13:00 (GMT+04:00)

    By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

    The outgoing 2014 was rich in numerous events in Turkey's political life.

    If we recall Turkey's events for the period from December 17, 2013 up
    till now, we can see that this year was not easy for the country.

    Postmodern revolution and Fethullah Gulen

    After Turkey was able to prevent a military coup according to "Balyoz"
    plan ("Sledgehammer") in 2010, many people believed that the political
    collisions completed in the country.

    But Turkey's events which occurred on December 17, 2013 can be
    regarded as a coup organized by Fethullah Gulen's movement and
    directed against the government represented by the police and judicial
    systems.

    Following a loud corruption scandal Minister of Economy Zafer
    Caglayan, Minister of Environment and City Planning Erdogan Bayraktar,
    Interior Minister Muammer Guler and Minister for EU Affairs Egemen
    Bakhysh were forced to resign.

    The country awaited new resignations in the government, but this did
    not happen. The then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the
    new staff of the Cabinet of Ministers. Other situation could not
    happen in Turkey, having long state traditions.

    Most important municipal elections in Turkey's history

    Another important event took place in Turkey's political life on March
    30, 2014: municipal elections which were extremely important for the
    country.

    Although the preparations of the elections officially started on
    Feb.18, the pre-election competition in Turkey began much earlier.
    Both the Justice and Development Party and the opposition regarded the
    voting day - March 30 - as a turning point in Turkey's history. It was
    either win or lose. However, many were aware that the ruling party,
    which has been in power since 2002, that's to say, in the last 12
    years, is much stronger than the opposition.

    Presidential election and 'New Turkey'

    Undoubtedly, another remarkable event in Turkey's political life was
    the presidential election that was for the first time held with
    people's participation on Aug.10, 2014. The vast majority of the
    country's population believed that Erdogan will win in the election.

    Against the backdrop of the political collapse of "Muslim Brotherhood"
    in Egypt, Erdogan's victory in the presidential election and the
    victory of the Justice and Development Party in the municipal
    elections gave ground to say that only Turkey is the genuine adherent
    of "Neo-Ottomanism" in the Middle East.

    By the way, Erdogan's victory gave confidence that the ruling Justice
    and Development Party will win in the parliamentary elections in 2015
    as well.

    Neighboring "Islamic State"

    Announcement of the terrorist organization "Islamic State" about the
    creation of a "caliphate" on the territories of Iraq and Syria, and
    the instability in the region, could not, of course, bypass Turkey.

    Many terrorist organizations would like to turn Turkey into an arena
    of fighting. To do this, the supporters of the terrorist Kurdistan
    Workers' Party, known as the PKK, and the Democratic Unity Party (PYD)
    held mass protests in Turkey. Their cause allegedly was a mass murder
    of Kurds in the Syrian town of Kobani, also known as Ayn Al-Arab.

    The true purpose of the protests lied in suspending the process of
    "democratic solution of the Kurdish problem" (Turkish Çözüm süreci),
    which began in 2009 and was aimed at establishing relations with the
    Kurds.

    Gulen movement and its confrontation with the government of Turkey

    The court decision on arresting Fethullah Gulen has been a logical
    continuation to the confrontation between the Gulen movement and the
    Turkish government.

    Despite declaring victory over the Hizmet movement, which is called a
    structure "parallel" to the government, the Turkish President Recep
    Tayyip Erdogan has not yet achieved Gulen's extradition from the US.

    Meanwhile, this can affect the outcome of the 2015 parliamentary elections.

    Changing interests of Turkey: relations with Russia, EU

    One of the memorable events of 2014 became the visit of Russian
    President Vladimir Putin to Turkey and harsh statements of Ankara and
    the EU. Anti-Russian sanctions, imposed by the West after the Crimean
    events, became a good chance in every sense for Ankara.

    Discussion of Turkish Stream gas pipeline and Akkuyu NPP construction
    issues by Moscow and Ankara gives grounds to claim that an alliance
    between Russia and Turkey, which was once only a dream, is real.

    It is quite likely that the strengthening of bilateral relations of
    Ankara and Moscow will dramatically affect the region, in particular
    the interests of the countries situated in it, relegating relations
    with Armenia for Russia to the background.

    As for the relations between Turkey and the EU, the statements of
    Ankara towards this structure give grounds to claim that, despite the
    continuation of reforms for joining the European Union, Turkey has
    lost interest to this organization. And this is the result of the
    double standards of the EU towards Turkey.

    One can assume that the coming 2015 will also be remembered in Turkey
    by serious moments, in particular, by parliamentary election and the
    adoption of the new Constitution. In addition, the centenary of the
    so-called Armenian genocide is also a major concern.


    http://en.trend.az/world/turkey/2348815.html

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