GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON APR 07

HURRIYET

-- OPPOSITION VACUUM IN TURKEY

Arzuhan Yalcindag, chairperson of executive board of the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) said there is a serious opposition vacuum in Turkey. Yalcindag stated, "I wish that Turkey would have a main opposition party which has more constructive statements." Opposition vacuum in the country caused TUSIAD's statements to be perceived as political ones, but TUSIAD is not a political organization but a nongovernmental one, she said.

-- SECOND INCIDENT INVOLVING MINORS IN A WEEK

Last week police discovered that two of the individuals responsible for hurling a molotov cocktail at Cumhuriyet daily's building were children. On Sunday three children aged between 12 and 14 hurled a hand grenade in front of a mosque in Fatih district of Istanbul. Fortunately, the hand grenade did not explode because its ignition mechanism was removed when two cars passed over it.


MILLIYET

-- AKP WILL CONTINUE STRUGGLE THROUGH DEMOCRACY, ERDOGAN

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday that his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will never be an actor of anti-democratic means. "AKP will continue its struggle through democracy," Erdogan told. He argued that "the presence of Deniz Baykal as the head of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) is very beneficial. The CHP will be crushed in the first upcoming elections."

-- CRIME ON CAMPUS

Tension that began at the Mediterranean University's dormitories three weeks ago escalated on Sunday. Guns were used during a fight among students from different ideologies. While seven people were injured by bullets, police detained 34 people.


SABAH

-- PROVOCATEURS IN UNIVERSITY

Agitators, who wanted to drag the country into instability and insecurity, took the stage at Akdeniz University in Antalya on Sunday. Fighting between two opponent groups using guns, knives and sticks are seen as reminiscent of the dangerous times prior to the events of September 12, 1980. Six students were wounded in the clash between right and left-wing supporters. Police detained 38 people. An indvidual brandishing a gun, who was not a student at the university, stood out as a prominant agitator in the incident.


-- CARLOS AGAINST APO

European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) will rule on April 15th upon an appeal by terrorist organization leader Abdullah Ocalan who claimed "isolation". In its defense, Turkey argued that Carlos the Jackal, terrorist of the century, served his lifetime jail sentence in a cell in France and that his appeal was rejected by the ECHR.

VATAN

-- CHP HAS NO GOALS, ERDOGAN

Speaking at a party rally in the south-eastern province of Malatya, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that "the presence of Deniz Baykal as the head of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) is very beneficial. The CHP has no goals." Erdogan stressed that his Justice and Development Party (AKP) aims at providing services to the Turkish society.

-- DISCOURAGING SURPRISE FOR FENER: SNOW IN LONDON

Turkey's Fenerbahce soccer club is ready to face English Chelsea in the second stage of the European Champions League quarter finals on Tuesday evening. While the Fenerbahce squad appears ready, a discouraging surprise is waiting for the team in London: snowfalls and extremely cold temperatures.

CUMHURIYET

-- TRADESMEN DEPRESSED

A global crisis is pushing small and medium sized enterprises to close their doors. According to figures released by the Union of Chambers & Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), the number of new established companies in March 2008 declined 1.61 percent over the same month the previous year. However, the number of companies that were closed down soared by 53 percent. Bankruptcies have escalated across the country.

-- EYES TURN ON CRITICAL MEETING AT AKP

The Central Decision and Executive Board of the Justice & Development Party (AKP), the top decision-making body of the party after the grand congress, will convene for the first time since the closure case was filed and party executives will set party strategy at this meeting. Another decision on article 301 of Turkey's penal code is also expected.


RADIKAL

-- ORAN: CHP DOESN'T WANT TO COME TO POWER

Turksh businessman Umut Oran, who is preparing to contend Deniz Baykal, chairman of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), said the CHP does not want to come to political power. Oran said senior members of party are due to retire and the party lack youths who are able to step in and lead the party in the future. Oran said, "I believe that I bring a new approach to politics."

-- OPPOSITION VACUUM IN TURKEY

Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag, chairperson of the executive board of the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD), said Turkey has been passing through a serious opposition vacuum. "This situation caused TUSIAD's statements to be perceived as more political. I wish Turkey had an opposition party which has more constructive words."

YENI SAFAK

-- ROAD MAP TO BECOME CERTAIN TODAY

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) executives will determine their stance in regard to the recently filed lawsuit, demanding the party's closure, during the meeting of in Central Decision and Executive Board, the highest decision-making organ of the party, on Monday.

-- BOMB FROM A CHILD

A child, aged 9 or 10, hurled a hand grenade in Cerrahpasa Street in the Fatih district of Istanbul on Sunday. Fortunately it did not explode.