Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
The trial over corruption allegations at the Istanbul Municipality — a case expected to last for years — begins March 9, with 402 defendants, including 105 under arrest, among them Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said that the United States is close to lifting restrictions imposed on Turkey since 2017 after Turkey purchased S-400 systems from Russia. However, the conditions under which the sanctions will be lifted remain unclear.
When a European expert based in Bulgaria received an invitation to a conference in Tbilisi, he decided to take the maritime route, boarding the ferry from Burgaz to Batumi. At one stage of the 64-hour crossing, while sailing in the open sea, the ferry shut its transponder and turned off its lights. A Russian fuel tanker approached and docked with the ferry to provide fuel to the ship, which is mainly used by trucks. The expert later found out that Russia sold the fuel 30 to 40 percent less than the market price. The captain of the ferry confessed he had all the official documents proving that the fuel was purchased from Romania.
At least 27 Turkish nationals were detained when Israeli naval forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla late Oct. 1 as it neared Gaza. The flotilla, composed of over 40 vessels and around 500 passengers, aimed to deliver humanitarian aid.
The first meeting in six years between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House started with positive messages, as both refrained from directly addressing the issue of Gaza, on which they are at odds.Trump suggested the U.S. could lift sanctions on Turkey and allow it to buy U.S. F-35 jets, blocked due to Turkey’s procurement of S-400s from Russia, but added that he would like to see Turkey - a NATO member - stop buying Russian oil while the war in Ukraine continues. 'I'd like to have him stop buying any oil from Russia while Russia continues this rampage against Ukraine.'
A surprising development could break the six-year impasse between Turkey and the United States over Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems. According to diplomatic and defense sources, Moscow has proposed to take the systems back.
The Central Bank reduced its policy interest rate, the one-week repo auction rate, from 43% to 40.5%, the second straight cut.
Baykar Aviation announced that its new-generation Bayraktar TB2T-AI unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), equipped with a turbo engine and artificial intelligence, reached an altitude of 40,023 feet (12,200 m) during a performance test on Aug. 23. The milestone marked a new altitude record in its class.
Baykar, the unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturer owned by the Bayraktar family, announced plans to build a factory on 400 acres in Tekkeköy, Samsun. The facility is expected to boost high-tech production and create high-quality jobs in the Black Sea region, the company said Aug. 8.
Since Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s detention on March 19, the CHP has held 40 rallies despite no upcoming elections, yet failed to shift the political agenda. The party opened İmamoğlu’s first campaign office in its Çankaya stronghold in Ankara, only to see its provincial chair dismissed days later. Though operations against Istanbul Municipality slowed, confessions from businessperson Aziz İhsan Aktaş continue to dominate headlines. A fresh wave of arrests targeted subsidiaries ISFALT and IETT, as well as tender officials.