GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON DEC 27

HURRIYET
-- TURKISH MOVIE SECTOR MAKES OVER QUARTER BLN IN 2008
Turkey's film industry, what is publicly called as Yesilcam or "Greenpine," broke records in 2008. Nearly 40 million viewers went to the movie theatres to see a total of 265 new films. The industry made near 260 million dollars turnover.
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-- GOVERNMENT TO INCREASE MOTOR VEHICLE TAX
The government will increase motor vehicle tax by 12 percent in the new year. The lowest tax will be 44 New Turkish Liras for cars older than 16 years. Owners of an Audi S5 (over 4.0 liters) will pay 14.2 thousand YTL and owners of 2.2 million-dollar Eclipse 500 business jet will pay 15.8 thousand YTL.

MILLIYET
-- NEW YORK TIMES'S COMMENT ON TURKEY
The New York Times newspaper said, "Turkey's religious businessmen spent years building empires on curtains, candy bars and couches. But as observant Muslims in one of the world's most self-consciously secular states, they were never accepted by elite society." It said now that group has become its own elite, and Turkey, a more openly religious country and it has lifted an  Islamic-inspired political party to power and helped make Turkey the seventh largest economy in Europe. The paper said, "the religious wealthy class is powerful now in Turkey, a new phenomenon that poses fresh challenges not only to the old secular elite but to what good Muslims think about themselves."
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-- INCREASE IN MOTOR VEHICLE TAX
There will be an increase of 12 percent in motor vehicle tax as of  January 1, 2009. The lowest vehicle tax will become 393 YTL.

SABAH
-- TURKISH SURGEON SAVES ONE OF SIAMESE TWINS
A surgeon in the southern province of Gaziantep managed to separate
siamese twins, saving one of them's life as the other one died in birth. Surgeon Lutfu Dagdonderen transferred the shared organs of the twins to Hasan to make him one of rare infants to survive after being separated from the other twin.Â

-- GOVT. TO INTRODUCE PUBLIC HOUSING ON FORMER FOREST LANDS
Government has submitted to parliament a draft bill on how to use former forest lands. According to the draft, lands which had been deforested prior to December 1981 will be granted to those who were titled to hold the lands. The lands will be handed over to the Housing Development Administration if there are shanty towns over the lands.

VATAN
-- INCREASE IN NUMBER OF CHP SUPPORTERS
Denge, a research company, conducted a survey in the capital Ankara upon an order from the ruling AKP. 3,500 people attended the survey. They were asked a question which said, "which political party would you vote for, if a parliamentary election were held today?" The survey said 29.8 percent of the people would vote for the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and 32.9 percent of people would vote for AKP.

-- INTERESTING COMMENT FROM NYT
The New York Times published an interesting article on Turkey's religious society. It said, "Turkey's religious businessmen spent years building empires on curtains, candy bars and couches. But as observant Muslims in one of the world's most self-consciously secular states, they were never accepted by elite society." The NYT said, "now that group has become its own elite, and Turkey, a more openly religious country. It has lifted an Islamic-inspired political party to power and helped make Turkey the seventh largest economy in Europe. And while other Muslim societies are wrestling with radicals, Turkey's religious merchant class is struggling instead with riches." The paper said, "the religious wealthy class is powerful now in Turkey, a new phenomenon that poses fresh challenges not only to the old secular elite but to what good Muslims think about themselves."
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CUMHURIYET
-- MILITARY FUNERALS FOR MARTYRS
Military funerals took place for two soldiers, Erhan Karatas and Turhan Damgaci, who died in an attack staged by PKK terrorists in Cizre town of southeastern province of Sirnak. "Always children of poor people pass away," Elmas Damgaci, mother of Turhan Damgaci, said at the funeral.

 

RADIKAL
-- AUTOMOTIVE EXPORTS PLUMMET
Turkey's export in automotive sector declined more than 40 percent in December over the same period last year as fallout from a global financial malady hit Turkey's economy as the crisis had cut down demand in world markets. In November, the figures also plunged over 40 percent.
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-- STANDARD & POOR'S: HIGHER CHANCES FOR TURKEY-IMF DEAL
"Odds are stronger now that Turkey and the IMF will make a deal, which would enhance investors' confidence ahead of the local elections," said Farouk Soussa, an analyst with the international rating group Standard & Poor's. Soussa rejected the idea that Turkey could experience a recession if it failed to secure a deal with the Fund. "An economic recession in Turkey does not hinge on the agreement that Turkey will make with the IMF," he said.