TURKIYE
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SUPPORT FROM ARTISTS TO DEMOCRATIC MOVE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan explained the democratic move to actors and actresses and received their support for the unity project. Prime Minister held a meeting with musicians nearly a month ago. He met with actors and actresses , and then radio announcers yesterday. Erdogan said, "democratic move will be incomplete without you."
ARRANGEMENT TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT IN PACKAGE
The government will today hold its last meeting about the Constitutional amendment package which it will present to opposition tomorrow. The package increases the number of members of Constitutional Court. Changing the structure of Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) will be discussed.
ZAMAN
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ECONOMY MINISTER REACTS AGAINST RUMORS ON AK PARTY SHUT DOWN
Economy Minister Ali Babacan has strongly reacted to allegations that the top Turkish prosecutor would file a case for the second time to shut down the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party. "We have to drop this from our agenda for the sake of political and economic stability. We all agree that political parties should not be closed down in democracies," Babacan told the daily ZAMAN's Sunday supplement. "The closure case against AK Party, that was when I was the foreign minister, was very hard to explain to Europe. And it did make a great harm to Turkey," Babacan said.
TURKISH DOCTORS TO REACH OUT TO PALESTINIAN KIDS
A group of Turkish doctors with the Doctors Worldwide left for Palestine to extend medical help to children in Ramallah and Al-Khalil. The team of 12 Turkish doctors are set to operate on those in need. Turkish doctors with the Doctors Worldwide have performed surgical operations on 269 patients so far.
YENI SAFAK
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ANOTHER POSTPONEMENT AFTER APPROVAL OF ARMENIAN RESOLUTION
Reaction against the United States continues in Turkey after the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Relations approved a resolution in support of the Armenian allegations regarding the incidents of 1915. Following Turkish Industrialists' & Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD)'s postponing its visit to the U.S., Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK) announced that it postponed the 29th Annual Conference on United States-Turkey Relations which was planned to be held in Washington between April 11 and 14.
SET UP THE FACILITY, WE WILL PAY HALF OF IT
Agriculture Ministry will help entrepreneurs who do not have enough resources, but have sound projects. Agriculture & Rural Affairs Minister Mehdi Eker said that if the entrepreneur set up a facility worth of 500,000 Turkish lira, the ministry would pay the half of it.
VATAN
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GOOD NEWS ABOUT VISA FROM DENMARK
Denmark's Refugees, Immigration, & Integration Ministry stated that it would not ask visa from Turkish people who would enter Denmark for a temporary mission, to open an exhibition, give a concert as well as Turkish sportsmen and truck drivers. This decision has become the most critical step which was taken for free movement in Europe.
WE ARE AT A BETTER LEVEL TODAY
Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug, speaking to Vatan, said that politicians' and media's approach towards the claims about Turkish Armed Forces was getting more and more sensitive each day. Gen. Basbug said, "I can sincerely say that everybody takes the necessary lessons from every incident. If we look at previous incidents and past days, we are today at a better point."
CUMHURIYET
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OPPOSITION LEADER REJECTS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PACKAGE AS "PLOT"
Leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Deniz Baykal, labeled the government's constitutional amendment package as "plot", calling on the Turkish president "not to be a part of it." "This would a constitution not only for today but also for our future generations. And such an important task cannot be left to the hands of a political party alone. That would be a grave mistake," Baykal said.
TURKISH SHIPYARDS ON CRITICAL TURN
The Turkish ship making industry have jumped to the fifth spot in the world over the last ten years in the number of ship orders. Yet, the industry might face dire times if new orders failed to follow in 2010 after a global recession hit the business in 2008 and 2009. The launching of 60 new shipyards is considered as the sign of excess capacity in the future.
RADIKAL
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SARGSIAN: TURKEY DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO PUT CONDITIONS
Armenian President Serzh Sargsian assessed the tense relations between Turkey and Armenia to a French TV. He said that Turkey did not have the right to blame Armenia and put conditions. He noted, "let's say, Turkish and Armenian parliaments miraculously approved the protocols. Then, will Turkey suspend relations with Armenia again when a third country brings "genocide" issue onto the agenda?"
TODAY'S NEVRUZ
Nevruz excitement is being felt throughout Turkey. 40,000 people in the eastern province of Van and 25,000 people in the southeastern province of Sanliurfa gathered yesterday to celebrate Nevruz --beginning of spring. There is a big celebration in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir as well as Kazlicesme district of Istanbul today.
HURRIYET
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PREMIER MEETS FILMMAKERS TO ASK SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRATIC INITIATIVE
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met on Saturday with filmmakers, actors and actresses in a bid to ask support for the government's drive to expand democratic rights and freedoms. Erdogan held a similar meeting earlier this year with musicians and singers.
PRESIDENT CALLS FOR UNITY IN NEVRUZ DAY
Turkish President Abdullah Gul issued a statement Saturday on the occasion of the Nevruz Day, the start of spring, calling for unity. "I am wishing Nevruz Day strengthens our unity, integrity and our will to live side by side," Gul said in his statement.
MILLIYET
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LET'S SOLVE TOGETHER
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with actors and actresses over a breakfast, and asked for their support to democratic move, and said, "the process will be incomplete without you." Erdogan said that many unmentioned, unspoken and unseen problems were examined by artists at first. He added, "that's what we are doing now. The issues which have been in your frame are now in our frame too."
EACH ARTICLE SHALL BE VOTED SEPARATELY
The government is adding an arrangement to constitutional amendment package. Accordingly, the changes will be presented to referendum as a whole, not one by one. Lawyers are against this arrangement, and say that block voting was not democratic.
SABAH
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CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS PACKAGE TO BE MADE PUBLIC ON MONDAY
A constitutional amendments package, drafted by the government, is set to be revealed on Monday. The package includes an arrangement that would allow for appeal against rulings of Turkey's High Council, a court that tries the president, prime minister and cabinet members.
FLOOD HITS WEAPONS FACTORY IN NORTH TURKEY
A flash flood hit on Saturday a weapons factory in the Black Sea province of Rize. The flood washed away the factory as prototypes of two top secret weapons manufactured for the Turkish army have gone missing.
AA