TURKIYE
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OPPOSITION FIGURE QUITS, ACCUSES HIS PARTY OF "DEFENDING MILITARY INTERVENTIONS"
Esref Erdem, a dissident lawmaker within the ranks of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), parted ways with the party after being sent to the CHP's disciplinary board for publicly announcing support to a package of constitutional reforms in an upcoming referendum in September. "I have been a CHP member for the last 37 years and the CHP had always supported every military intervention in the country. That is why the Turkish people did not want the CHP to come to the power," Erdem said.

NETANYAHU APPEARS BEFORE ISRAELI INVESTIGATION PANEL OVER RAIDED GAZA FLOTILLA
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu answered questions before a panel of Israeli investigators over a deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla. "Mavi Marmara was not an innocent love boat. Our fighters have done their jobs. Israeli state is proud of them," Netanyahu told the panel. Israeli commandos attacked on May 31 Mavi Marmara, the lead vessel of the three-ship aid convoy, killing eight Turkish citizens and a U.S. citizen of Turkish descent.

ZAMAN
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"MILITARY SERVES UNDER CIVILIAN GOVERNMENTS," SAYS BAR ASSOCIATION HEAD
Chairperson of Turkey's Bar Association, Vedat Cosar, said that the civilian government had the right to decide on who would take part in the commanding echelons of the army. "You must respect the choices of the civilian government. This is what democracy and the law expect. Civilians rule on the military not the other way around," Cosar said in press meeting.

GENEREAL IN "BALYOZ INVESTIGATION" DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL
Ret. gen. Cetin Dogan, one of the major figures charged in an investigation into the alleged Balyoz (Sledgehammer) coup attempt, was discharged from hospital where he was under treatment for cardiovascular problems. Dogan's discharge from the hospital followed a court decision that overruled the detention order for 101 military officers including Cetin.

YENI SAFAK
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6 MILLION USD TABLE
One of the largest privatization tenders of Turkish history was held on Monday. The total bids in tenders for sale of Bogazici, Gediz, Trakya and Dicle reached $5.760 billion. Is-Kaya Construction Co. and MMEKA Machinery Co. won the tender for Bogazici with an $2.2990 billion offer and Gediz with $1.920 billion. AKSA won the tender for Trakya Electric with $622 million while Karavil Construction Co. won the tender for Dicle Electric with $228 million.

HE SAID "YES" AND LEFT WITHOUT LOOKING BACK
Esref Erdem, a Republican People's Party (CHP) member for 37 years, who announced he would vote 'yes' in the constitutional amendment referendum, resigned from his party. Erdem said he received support from the grassroots of the CHP which he accused of taking a decision to vote against the package without consulting the party organs.
Erdem who was referred to the discipline committee of the party by Secretary General Onder Sav, said CHP was moving away from its true spirit and getting closer to a racist line by approaching Nationalist Movement Party.
 

VATAN
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SIX BILLION DOLLARS FROM PRIVATIZATION IN JUST ONE DAY
The Turkish Treasury earned $5.8 billion in just ten hours when four electricity distribution companies were sold in separate tenders on Monday. The sum is a historic record as it is more than the total revenues from all privatization tenders last year. The highest bid came from a consortium led by Mehmet Emin Karamehmet and Mehmet Kazanci with $2.99 billion for the Bogazici Electricity distribution company in Istanbul's European side. The same consortium also bought the Gediz company for $1.92 billion.

FIFTEEN POLICE OFFICERS DETAINED IN FRAUD CASE
Fifteen police officers were detained on Monday in a probe over fraud allegations in transportation tenders in the Istanbul Police Department. The police officers are charged of bribing, intimidation and assault. Two dozen police officers were detained last week in the first wave.

CUMHURIYET
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"BALYOZ CASE IS A SET UP," DOGAN
Former Commander of the 1st Army Ret. Gen Cetin Dogan was discharged from the hospital on Monday. "A cop took me under custody, he must have thought I would switch planes in the air," said Dogan who claimed the case was a set up. "Unfortunately there are people in the Besiktas Court House who are involved in this set up. He said he ordered his lawyer to appeal to the Justice Ministry for an investigation.

FIVE PKK TERRORISTS KILLED
While the three soldiers who were killed in a mine blast in Nusaybin the other day were laid to rest on Monday, five PKK terrorists were killed in a skirmish in the Besiri district of Batman. Two soldiers were wounded. Meanwhile in Hakkari, a group of PKK sympathisers clashed with the police after the funeral of four terrorists who were killed a few days ago.

RADIKAL
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CHP'S LIBERAL MANIFESTO
The new leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party seems to be dedicated to the goal of erasing "CHP's state party" image.
CHP Leader Kemal Kilidaroglu's letter published in the Hurriyet Daily, was like a "liberal democracy manifesto". Kilicdaroglu who emphasized that state power had to be restricted in order for democracy and individual rights and freedoms to be enhanced, said this could only be ensured through rule of law.
Kilicdaroglu who pointed out that civilian supervision of the military was an indicator that the democracy was functioning well, said initially the spirit of the 1982 constitution should be changed in Turkey's new constitution. Kilicdaroglu said the solution of the problems lied in liberal democracy.

NETANYAHU LAYS BLAME ON TURKEY
Israel's internal investigation on the killing of 9 Turks, on board the Mavi Marmara, carrying aid to Gaza under Israeli blockade, continued with testimonies. The first witness of the investigation, Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu, argued that the operation was in line with international laws and laid the blame on Turkey. Netanyahu cited the nuclear agreement signed by Turkey, Brazil and Iran, in his argument.
 

HURRIYET
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WINNING OFFERS IN ELECTRICITY TENDERS TOTAL $5.7 BLN
The Turkish treasury is set to earn nearly six billion U.S. dollars from sale of four state-run electricity distribution companies. Winning bidders offered $5.7 billion in separate auctions on Monday in the privatization of Bogazici, Gediz, Dicle and Trakya electricity distribution companies run by the state-owned Turkish Electricity Distribution Corporation (TEDAS). The highest offer came for Bogazici with $2.99 billion as Gediz received $1.92 billion, and Trakya and Dicle received $622 million and $288 million, respectively.

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION UP
Turkey's industrial output was up 10.2 percent year-on-year in June 2010. It was also up by 2.2 percent month-on-month for June 2010. It was the seventh month in a row that figure climbed up uninterruptedly.

MILLIYET
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5 BILLION USD IN TWO AND A HALF HOURS
MMEKA, the consortium carrying the initials of Mehmet Emin Karamehmet, and Mehmet Kazanci, offered 2.99 billion USD for Bogazici Electric Distribution Co., and 1.92 Billion USD for Izmir Gediz Elecric. Experts who expected 2 billion USD, said the result was way above their expectations.
Executive of Limak Co. which was one of the bidders said the five billion USD bid was a surprise. Mehmet Emin Karamehmet entered the sector for the first time with the tender. Mehmet Kazanci said they have not yet clarify how the bidding price would be funded and they would talk to banks.

GUL MARKS SUPREME MILITARY COUNCIL DECISONS
Commander in Chief, President Abdullah Gul's decisions have been effective in the Supreme Military Council's appointments which was solved after 8 days.
When it was decided that Gen.Hasan Igsiz would not become the Land Forces Commander , both Gul and Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan favoured Atilla Isik. But when Atilla Isik wanted to retire, Chief of Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug offered Necdet Ozel as the Commander of the Land Forces and Aslan Guner as the Commander of the Gendarmerie Forces. But Gul did not want these names.
Guner has served in Ankara for the past 20 years and Gul did not want to open the way of becoming Chief of Staff for a General who have no experience in the front. In Gul's view it would be injustice to close the way of Chief of Staff for Ozel. When this formula did not give results, Ceylanoglu's name came to the fore. Erdal Ceylanoglu whom Gul did not oppose, was appointed as the Commander of the Land Forces.

SABAH
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DISSIDENT MEMBER SAYS HELM AT MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY PRODUCT OF POLITICAL PLOT
Esref Erdem, a dissident figure in Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) resigned on Monday as member, accusing the CHP's secretary-general of plotting against the the party's former chairman Deniz Baykal to overhaul the leading cadres. "They have decided in secret meetings to announce the candidacy of Kilicdaroglu [now CHP leader]. They have done all this despite Baykal," said Erdem, who has been referred to the party's disciplinary board to expel him. Erdem had earlier said he would vote 'Yes' in a referendum in September over a constitutional amendment package.

FIVE TERRORISTS KILLED IN CLASH IN SOUTHEAST TURKEY
Five PKK terrorists were killed in a clash with the Turkish security forces in the southeastern province of Batman on Monday. The killed terrorists included also a senior operative of the PKK. Two sergeants were slightly wounded.
 

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