GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON NOV 29

HURRIYET

-- 3G GSM NETWORK TENDER COMPLETED

Turkey's largest mobile phone operator Turkcell won Friday a tender for Type A 3G license. Turkcell submitted the highest bid of 358 million Euro in the tender for 40 MHz 3G mobile communication system. The tender will be concluded after it is ratified by the relevant authority. In the tender for the Type B (35 MHz) license, Vodafone gave the highest bid of 250 million Euro. Avea won the tender for Type C (30 MHz) licence with its bid of 214 million Euro. The tender for the three 3G licenses generated a total of 970 million euros for the state.

 

-- TURKISH CENTRAL BANK WARNS BANKS OVER CREDIT CARDS

Turkey's Central Bank urged the commercial banks on Friday not to ask tight requirements for consumer credits otherwise the consumers would turn to their credit cards with higher interest rates. The Bank warned that in such a situation, the number of those people who cannot pay their credit card bills would mount.

 

 

MILLIYET

-- FROM DEMOCRAT TO AUTOCRAT

Both the Economist and the Reuters have commented that Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was moving towards "autocracy" recently. Under the title "The Worrying Tayyip Erdogan", the Economist wrote, "Mr Erdogan appears increasingly autocratic and out of touch. And because he lacks any credible political opponents, either within or beyond the AKP, this is making Turkey look stagnant and adrift;and further away from EU membership than ever. And as corruption also starts to infect the AKP's ranks, it is beginning to resemble many of the tired old parties that it buried at the polls." Meanwhile, the Reuters commented, "Turkey's ruling AKP is rapidly losing the support of liberals and business leaders who once saw it as an engine of reform, confronting it with serious challenges three months before municipal elections. The news agency claimed in its analysis that clouds gathered for Turkey's AKP ahead of polls.

 

-- 3G LICENSES SHARED

Turkey's biggest GSM operator Turkcell has won the tender for broadband Type A 3G license after offering 348 million Euro. In the tender for the Type B (35 MHz) license, Vodafone gave the highest bid of 250 million Euro. Avea won the tender for Type C (30 MHz) licence with its bid of 214 million Euro.

 

 

SABAH

-- ONE BILLION EURO IN MOBILE PHONE

A tender for the third generation (3G) networks was held in Turkey on Friday, making a 970 million euro income for the Turkish treasury. Three GSM operators, Turkcell, Vodaphone and Avea, participated in the tender. Turkcell offered 358 million euro, the highest bid for Type A 3G license as Vodaphone won the tender for Type B license for 250 million euro and Avea won the tender for Type C license for 214 million euros.

 

-- SHOPPING MALL TENANTS CRY FOR RENT CUTS

Tenants of some of Turkey's biggest shopping malls threatened to end their contracts unless mall managements made an immediate cut in rents. About 30 renowned brands asked for a 50 percent cut in their rents in Istanbul's Kanyon Shopping Mall and gave a two-day deadline for a response from the management.

 

 

VATAN

-- CRITICISMS INCREASE

The western press has begun criticising Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan saying that reforms slowed down in Turkey and Erdogan appeared increasingly autocratic. The Economist, one of the leading British magazines, commented in its analysisÂtitled, "The Worrying Tayyip Erdogan" that Prime Minister Erdogan appeared increasingly autocratic and out of touch. "And because he lacks any credible political opponents, either within or beyond the AKP, this is making Turkey look stagnant and adrift; and further away from EU membership than ever. And as corruption also starts to infect the AKP's ranks, it is beginning to resemble many of the tired old parties that it buried at the polls." Meanwhile, the Reuters said in its analysis, "Turkey's ruling AKP is rapidly losing the support of liberals and business leaders who once saw it as an engine of reform, confronting it with serious challenges three months before municipal elections. The abrupt end of Turkey's economic bonanza and what critics call Erdogan's increasingly irascible mood have led commentators to ask themselves if his expiry date has come."

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-- NUMBER OF HIV POSITIVE PEOPLE IN TURKEY INCREASES TO 2,920

Professor Melahat Okuyan, chairperson of Turkey's association for combating AIDS, has said that there were 2,920 HIV-positive people in Turkey. She said that 892 of them were women.

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CUMHURIYET

-- LABOR UNIONS, NGOs TO GATHER AT RALLY IN ANKARA

Major labor unions and non-governmental organizations are set to stage a rally against unemployment, poverty and price hikes in the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Saturday. "This is a rally of the people regardless of their political views and preferences," leader of a major union said, adding that workers paid the price of the economic crisis.

 

-- TURKISH PRESDIENT CALLS FOR SOLIDARITY AGAINST TERRORISM

Turkish President Abdullah Gul urged Friday the international community to act in concert against terrorism two days after a chain of attacks shook India's financial center, Mumbai, leaving at least 143 people dead. "The international community has to act together against terrorism for this menace makes no discrimination between Asia, Europe or America and it might hit any country just at any time," Gul told reporters before departing for a two-day visit in Turkmenistan. "Turkey, which suffered greatly from terrorism, offers sincere ties of solidarity with India and the Indian people, and shares their grief and indignation," he said.

 

 

RADIKAL

-- CENTRAL BANK WARNS

The Central Bank has warned that the financial structure of the real sector could be badly affected by global crisis. The bank said that people should use their credit cards carefully.

 

-- A REMEDY FOR CRISIS

The total amount has reached to 970 million Euro in the tender for the third-generation (3G) networks enabling network operators to offer a wider range of more advanced services. Turkcell offered the highest bid for Type A 3G license and won the tender with 348 million Euro. In the tender for the Type B (35 MHz) license, Vodafone gave the highest bid of 250 million Euro. Avea won the tender for Type C (30 MHz) licence with its bid of 214 million Euro.

 

 

YENI SAFAK

-- "I LOCKED MYSELF IN BATHROOM"

Death toll has increased to 160 in the Mumbai terror attacks in India. 33 hostages including Turkish lawyer Yasemin Erden were rescued by Indian security forces who stormed the Oberoi Trident Hotel. Erden said that she locked herself in bathroom for 41 hours. "I first called my mother with my cell-phone. Then, the Turkish Embassy staff called me," she said.

 

-- "EU NEEDS TURKEY"

Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO of the WPP, one of the biggest communication companies in the world, has said that western Europe whose population is growing old, must accept Turkey's membership because of its young population.