FOUR PKK CAMPS VACATED, ALL EYES ON YEAR’S LAST SECURITY COUNCIL
Ankara confirmed the evacuation of four Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) camps, possibly clearing the way for the second phase of the “Terror-Free Turkey” process.
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In-Depth Analysis
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NO APPARENT RISK OF GREY LIST FOR TURKEY
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has released its 5th Round Mutual Evaluation Report for Turkey, confirming that the country faces no risk of returning to the grey list, the Finance Ministry said.
ANYMA'S ISTANBUL SHOW IN LIMBO
Although there has been no official statement from the Istanbul Governorship confirming the cancellation of a concert by producer Anyma in Istanbul, pro-government outlets reported that the show had been canceled after it was dubbed a 'satanist ritual.'
ANKARA HEADED TO A LOBBYING FIRM CLOSE TO TRUMP
The Defense Ministry has signed a contract with a lobbying firm headed by Brian Ballard, one of Trump’s leading fundraisers in Florida.
OVERSEAS CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS DROP SHARPLY
The contracts of construction firms abroad fell by more than half in the first six months of 2026.
ANKARA LINKS CYPRUS TALKS TO CUSTOMS UNION MODERNIZATION
Turkey wants the modernization of its Customs Union with the European Union — off the agenda for years — to be part of the equation as diplomatic traffic on the Cyprus issue accelerates, more than three European diplomats confirmed to Turkey in Depth.
CONFISCATION ECONOMY: THE PURGE THAT PAYS
Ten years after the failed coup, the crackdown on Gülenist-owned businesses has become a revenue stream: the state has collected $1.5 billion from selling off seized firms — and the state fund managing them has grown into one of the country's largest conglomerates, its reach now extending far beyond the Gülenists.
ARMENIAN ELECTIONS AND TURKEY’S EXPECTED STEPS FOR PEACE
Nikol Pashinyan’s election victory on June 7, his third in a row since 2018, confirmed the strong desire of the Armenian people to live in peace and prosperity in a functioning democracy as part of the Western World.
DEM EXPECTS FRAMEWORK LAW AS GOVERNMENT LOOKS FOR VERIFICATION
The DEM Party is pushing the government to start taking legislative steps for the Kurdish peace process by announcing a framework law, yet the government is determined not to take any step before the PKK’s disarmament has been verified and confirmed. DEM
WHAT DOES ALİ BABACAN WANT TO DO?
In a political climate marked by constant clashes and shifting agendas — sometimes several in a single day — how did Ali Babacan manage to stand out? He attended both the opening of Parliament and the Republic Day reception, posing for photographs with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Suddenly, all eyes were on him. “Is he returning to his old party?” people asked. Some even claimed he was poised to become a minister again. He firmly denied those claims. Yet when similar criticism came from the CHP, he shot back sharply: “Come off it.”
EUROFIGHTERS: A STOPGAP WITH STRINGS
The German government has dropped its veto on the sale of 40 Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Turkey, thanks to the requests of the Turkish opposition, claimed Özgür Özel, the head of the CHP. While Berlin has been dragging its feet on talks for the warplanes, which are built by a consortium of Germany, Britain, Italy, and Spain, a news report suggested in April that the German government had decided to keep blocking the sale due to the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on March 19. While such a decision was never officially confirmed, İmamoğlu tweeted from his prison cell, objecting to the veto and Özel kept the issue on the agenda during talks with his German counterparts.
PARLIAMENTARY PEACE COMMISSION HITS DELAY
Hopeful for the disarmament of the PKK after the ceremonial burning of arms, the Turkish government is observing developments on the ground while efforts to establish a commission in the parliament look set to drag into next week. Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş visited MHP and CHP chairs, but the commission’s structure and name were not finalized. Now, he is expected to meet once again with the parliamentary group deputy chairs. The meeting, initially planned for July 25 is expected to be postponed to July 28 at the earliest. After the framework is set, commission members will be appointed. While the head of Turkish intelligence, İbrahim Kalın, toured all the party groups in the parliament, the media tracked a tempest in a teapot after MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli confirmed reports that he proposed appointing two vice presidents—one Kurdish and one Alevi.