GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON MAY 1

HURRIYET

--PRELIMINARY DEFENSE FROM RULING AKP

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) submitted its 98 pages preliminary defense compiled in three files to the Constitutional Court.
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In the defense there are photocopies of record books signed by former presidents Turgut Ozal and Suleyman Demirel and PMs Mesut Yilmaz, Tansu Ciller, as well as certain ministers and an army general during their visits to Fethullah Gulen's schools. Former PM Bulent Ecevit's remarks referring to Gulen's schools saying, "There has not been such a service for culture, even in the 600 years Ottoman history" were cited in the defense.

-- COMMON SENSE PLEASE!

Negotiations did not bear any results and May Day celebrations turned into a battle of wills. While the government refused to allow celebrations in Taksim Square, the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DISK), and the Confederation of Public Sector Unions (KESK) and some labor unions under the Turkish Confederation of Labor Unions (Turk-Is) confirmed they would march to Taksim Square.
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DISK Secretary General Tayfun Gorgun said they did not change their decision to march to Taksim Square from three different directions. He said, "We will celebrate May 1 together with 500,000 workers with carnations in our hands."
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There was division among Turk-Is with two different statements yesterday. While Chairman Mustafa Kumlu said they would not march to Taksim Square, Secretary General Mustafa Turkel said, "we will gather in Dolmabahce and march to Taksim Square from there."
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PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted to the insistence of labor unions about Taksim and said, "To make an imposition with a mentality insisting on doing whatever they want is an attempt to create public disorder.

 

MILLIYET

--HAPPY MAY 1

Today is celebrated around the world as the festival of workers. In Turkey, the tension runs high after the government and labor unions failed to reach a consensus on celebrating May 1 at Istanbul's Taksim Square. Labor unions are determined to celebrate May Day at Taksim Square.

They are saying, "We will be at Taksim with 500,000 people." On the other hand, all the officials --from the government to Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler-- said, "There is no permission." Governor Guler said that they had an intelligence reports that members of a terrorist organization would clash with police using the May Day celebrations as a cover.

--RULING AKP FILES ITS PRELIMINARY DEFENSE IN CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

Ruling AKP filed its preliminary defense against the closure case to the Constitutional Court two days before the legal deadline. The 98-page defense says that the lawsuit was filed with political aims.

PROJECTION MISSED IN INFLATION
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The Central Bank increased its inflation projection due to fluctuations in the global markets and the price increase in food and oil. Central Bank Governor Durmus Yilmaz announced inflation in 2008 was projected as 9.3 percent, which was earlier 4 percent.

 

SABAH

--TAKSIM SIEGE

It is illegal to enter Taksim today to celebrate May Day, as the government took extraordinary security measures following the debates regarding the union gatherings in the square. DISK said that they would celebrate May 1 in Taksim Square with 500,000 workers. Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler said they would not allow the country’s workers to celebrate May 1 in the square. An estimated 25,000 police officers will be on duty in Istanbul today.

--PRELIMINARY DEFENSE FILED IN THE COURT

The ruling AKP presented its preliminary defense against the closure case to the Constitutional Court without requesting extra time. The 98-page preliminary defense, consisting of six files, was presented to the Court at around 6.20 p.m. (15:20 GMT) yesterday.

 

VATAN

--MAY DAY ALARM IN ISTANBUL

Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler announced the extraordinary security measures to be taken against illegal demonstrations in the Taksim district of Istanbul. Ferry services will be suspended from Uskudar and Kadikoy districts to Besiktas, Kabatas and Karakoy till noon. Tramcar services between Sirkeci and Kabatas, funicular services between Taksim and Kabatas and subway services between Mecidiyekoy and Taksim will also be suspended.

There will be snipers on high buildings. The crowd will firstly be warned to "disperse;" if they resist, water canons will be used. A total of 66 schools in the district will be closed today.

--1 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE INSURANCE

One million people, including babies, acquired insurance in the last four months to avoid inclusion in the new Social Security Law. Those with insurance before April 30 can retire at the age of 58 and 60, for women and men respectively; while those insured just a day later will retire at the age of 65.

 

CUMHURIYET

--301 AMENDED

The bill amending Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code was adopted at the General Assembly of the Turkish Parliament. In the bill the term "Turkishness" was changed as "Turkish Nation" while "Republic" was changed as "the Republic of Turkey." The maximum punishment for the crimes under this article was lowered to two years imprisonment.

--TO TAKSIM SQUARE WITH CARNATIONS

The Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DISK), the Confederation of Public Sector Unions (KESK) and some labor unions under the Turkish Confederation of Labor Unions (Turk-Is) once again reiterated their determination to celebrate May Day in Taksim Square. A statement released by these labor unions said resulting clashes should be blamed on the governor of Istanbul and the police department.
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DISK Secretary General Tayfun Gorgun said, "We will celebrate May 1 together with 500,000 workers with carnations in our hands."
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While Turk-Is Chairman Mustafa Kumlu took a step back and said they would respect the government’s decision and hold celebrations in the designated areas, Turk-Is Secretary General Mustafa Turkel said they would march to Taksim Square. Workers will not march to Taksim Square from three different directions but gather in Sisli and march to Taksim from there.

 

RADIKAL

--RULING AKP DOES NOT TAKE ON ACCUSATIONS

The ruling AKP did not seek additional time in the closure case and submitted its preliminary defense to the Constitutional Court. The AKP asserted the thesis that the case is not judicial but rather political and stated that according to European laws and the Venice guidelines a party could only be dissolved if it supported violence.
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Excerpts from the defense: National Education Ministry's circular are open to Council of State's inspection. When Bulent Arinc was Parliament Speaker he was not a member of the AKP. President Abdullah Gul can not be tried as a similar lawsuit against former President Kenan Evren was rejected in the past.

--TURKISH PENAL CODE ARTICLE 301 FINALLY CHANGED

The amendment to Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, which had been discussed for three years, was adopted with 250 votes for to 65 against. Due to the principle that "the clause favoring the tried will be taken into consideration," the ongoing lawsuits will be suspended and the permission of the Ministry of Justice will be sought.

 

YENI SAFAK

--THIS PERSISTENCE COMES UP NEWLY

DISK, whose chairman was a deputy in Democratic Left Party (DSP) government in 1999, was silent during those years; but for the last two years, stepped up its insistence on celebrating May Day in Taksim Square. On the other hand, Turk-Is withdrew its decision to hold celebrations in the square.