GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON MAR 15

HURRIYET
-- TAX PENALTY TO DOGAN GROUP ON AGENDA OF EU
The European Commission will examine tax penalty against Turkey's Dogan Group. European Parliament member Frank Vanhecke submitted a parliamentary question on tax penalty against Dogan Group. The commission said that the issue would be examined and a response would be given to the question.
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-- PROMOTION ABOUT TURKEY IN ITALY
Last year 600,261 Italian people visited Turkey. A promotion campaign has been launched in Italy to boost this number in the new tourism season. City buses in the Italian capital city of Rome have been covered with advertisements about Turkey. Buses have photos of Cappadocia, Istanbul and some other attractions in Turkey.
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MILLIYET
-- WORLD TO DISCUSS WATER IN ISTANBUL
The 5th World Water Forum will begin in Istanbul on Monday. 20,000 guests from 107 countries are expected to participate in the World Water Forum. However, some nongovernmental organizations are preparing to protest the forum.
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-- ERDOGAN INSISTS ON TANGENT LINE
Despite a recession in economic figures of Turkey, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan still keeps his stance that "the economic crisis will touch Turkey like a tangent line." Erdogan said, "the economic crisis is not our crisis."
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SABAH
-- ANATOMY OF A MURDER
Sabah reveals the mystery behind the murder of National Lottery Director-General Ihya Balak. It was November 16, 2007 when Balak was shot to death in his office by Ahmet Ozturk, an inspector who was working at the National Lottery. Ozturk got 24 years in jail after a short judgement by the court. Such a murder was not very common. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered officials to bring to light the facts behind the murder. Following an investigation, there was a 149-page report that made readers breathless. Ozturk killed Balak because he had doubts that Balak was not fighting corruption. The report said, "doubts were exaggerated." Both Balak and Ozturk were victims of suspicion.
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-- PACKAGE TO RELIEVE PEOPLE
Government's "package of opportunities" that reduces VAT on housing and private consumption tax on car sales and household appliances, will relieve people. A person who plans to buy a car up to 1600cc that costs 20,000 TL, will save 2,774 TL. Price of a commercial vehicle, which was sold at 15,000 TL, will be 13,773. A person, who buys a house worth 200,000 TL, will pay 16,000 TL less.

VATAN
-- 5,000 TL DISCOUNT IN AUTOMOTIVE
Tax cut rates in the crisis package have become clear. New rates will take effect at the beginning of the new week. According to figures made public by the Finance Ministry, private consumption tax will be reduced to 18.5 percent from 37 on cars below a capacity of 1600cc, to 54 percent from 60 on cars between 1600cc and 2000cc, and to 80 percent from 84 on cars over 2000cc. Tax will be 1 percent from 10 on light commercial vehicles. With the new figures, for instance Volkswagen Polo 1.4 will have a price tag of 23,771 instead of 27,482.
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-- DRUG SALES DOWN, NEURO DRUG SALES UP
One of Turkey's biggest pharmaceutical companies Abdi Ibrahim's chairman Nezih Barut explains how people save from health-care expenditure in crisis. "There is 20 percent decline in drug sales. However, there is an upward sales trend in neurological drugs," Barut says.
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CUMHURIYET
-- ERDOGAN FORGETS JOBLESS
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's package of measures has not taken any steps about the solution to unemployment. The package includes measures suggested by main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Deniz Baykal. However, there was nothing to stop unemployment as Baykal proposed earlier.
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-- EFFORTS TO DAUNT
CHP leader Deniz Baykal said whatever happened during the Ergenekon probe reminds him of times of oppression. He said opposition was wanted to be seen daunted.
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RADIKAL
-- ECONOMIC PACKAGE TO BE IN FORCE SOON
Finance Ministry which aims to put into practice the measures against economic crisis has rapidly submitted the package of economic measures to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. The government aims to bring into force the package on Tuesday. Officials from the Finance Ministry and State Planning Organization said that there could be a delay of few days.       Â

-- TAX PENALTY ON AGENDA OF EP
Frank Vanhecke, a member of the European Parliament, submitted a parliamentary question on tax penalty against Turkey's Dogan Group to the European Commission.

YENI SAFAK
-- HITS THE SPOT
Government's super package excited the real sector. Tax cut and additional measures are expected to revive the market. Representatives of real sector want the package to take effect as soon as possible.
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-- REAL SECTOR OK, FINANCE INDUSTRY NEXT
The government is asked to make another arrangement for firms having temporary financing troubles. Experts want a mechanism to be established between these firms and banks. "Interest rate cut should be encouraged and thus loan market should be reinvigorated. Government should pay its debts to private sector. Labor cost should be reduced," they suggest.