GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON MAY 30

HURRIYET
-- TURKISH IDENTITY TO INVESTORS
The new law on Turkish citizenship has been adopted at the Turkish parliament. Accordingly, those who make big investments in Turkey or people who make contributions to Turkish science, technology, sports or art will have the chance to become a Turkish citizen.
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-- JOURNEYS WITHOUT VISAS TO BEGIN
Germany has added a "visa exemption form" for Turkish citizens to its Visa Handbook. With such form, truck drivers and Turkish citizens who are willing to go to Germany to attend activities related to art, sports or science, will be able to travel to this country without visas for two months. This procedure is not applicable in other Schengen states yet.
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MILLIYET
-- BALLOON DISASTER
A hot air balloon, which took off with a group of tourists in central Anatolian province of Nevsehir's Cappadocia region, crashed at a field after it hit another balloon in the air. British tourist John Beurle died in the accident, while the British pilot and 9 tourists were injured. The Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation after the incident.
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-- PARTNERSHIP AWARD TO COCA COLA
"Corporate Partnership Award", which reflects the cooperation between Turkish and American companies, was presented to Coca Cola Anadolu Group this year. The award ceremony was hosted by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Turkish businessman Rahmi Koc at New York's "The Pierre Hotel". The award was given to Coca Cola's CEO Muhtar Kent and Anadolu GrOup's chairperson Tuncay Ozilhan.
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SABAH
-- NO NEED FOR IMF, TURKEY'S STEP IS RIGHT
Famous economist Professor Steve Hanke said that the Turkish government should go on making structural reforms instead of agreeing with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Hanke said that an agreement with the IMF would show the government as if it was weak. Instead, the government should reduce taxes, and make the labor market more flexible, he said. The U.S. economist said that if the economy recovered early, the winner would be Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.
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-- LEAGUE CHAMPION TO BECOME CLEAR SATURDAY NIGHT
This year's soccer season will end on Saturday night. Leader Besiktas is actually two points ahead of Sivasspor, the second runner-up. Therefore, Besiktas is most likely to become the champion of this season. Sivasspor will take on Galatasaray, whereas the third runner-up Trabzonspor will play against Fenerbahce.

VATAN
-- BALLOON CRASHES INTO GROUND FROM 200-METER-ALTITUDE, ONE DEAD
The balloon tour of British tourists over Cappadocia resulted in a disaster. According to witnesses, three balloons took off one after the other. However, the last balloon touched the gondola part of one of the other balloons and it was torn. The balloon lost altitude and crashed into ground from 200-meter altitude. There were 11 people, including the pilot, on the balloon. 61-year-old British tourist Kevin John Burle died and 10 others were wounded. Harry Dawson, who was also injured in the accident, is in serious condition. Experienced pilots said, "balloons should not take off one after the other, but should take off side by side. They should see each other and talk on the radio. This accident occurred because of carelessness."
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-- IMF AND TURKEY AGREE IN PRINCIPLE
International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Turkey representative Huseyin Samei gave a pleasing news. Speaking in a panel discussion on global crisis, Samei said that Turkish authorities and the IMF had agreed in principle. Samei said that however, the real thing was to agree and compromise on all matters, adding that talks between Turkey and the fund were under way.       Â

CUMHURIYET
-- EU STILL NOT A UNION
Participants of the "Forum Istanbul 2009" meeting said the global crisis showed that the European Union (EC) was not still a union in the economic sense. Turkish State Minister and Chief Negotiator for EU Talks Egemen Bagis said that there was no other country than Turkey which had to overcome so many difficulties in its EU membership process.
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-- GREEK CYPRIOTS WARNED
After getting the information that an American company would start searching natural gas and oil along the southwestern coast of Cyprus, Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned the Greek Cypriot administration. The ministry told the Greek Cypriot party that those search activities were not in line with the ongoing negotiation process between the two parties in the island and it also asked Greek Cypriots to refrain from acts that will cause tension.
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RADIKAL
-- SIX PEOPLE FREED
Six of 35 people who were detained in five provinces during operations against the terrorist organization PKK were released. Five of these six freed people are teachers. Reactions to the operation, which also involved the branches of the Confederation of Public Sector Unions (KESK), continue.
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-- "BULLY" POLEMICS
Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan said, "there is no need to act like a bully" when commenting on the remarks of the Democratic Society Party (DTP) members that they would not definitely testify. DTP chairman Ahmet Turk said, "we are against behaving like a bully, and against injustice."

YENI SAFAK
-- CONQUER ENTHUSIASM
The conquer of Istanbul was celebrated with enthusiasm on its 556th anniversary. People rushed to the Panorama 1453 History Museum in Topkapi (Istanbul) to watch the 3-D images of the conquer. 390,499 people have visited the museum since it was opened four months ago.      Â

-- TURKEY DEFIES IMF
Wall Street Journal, an effective U.S. financial newspaper, wrote that Turkish government was defying IMF bailout and its painful requirements.