April 13, 2014

TAA refutes claim tying US genocide resolution to Hizmet

The Turkic American Alliance (TAA) has refuted the pro-government daily Sabah's and Yeni Şafak's claims of “treachery,” linking the Hizmet movement, a faith-based group inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, with the passing of an “Armenian genocide” resolution at the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

I hereby present the ‘parallel state’

Bülent Keneş

I have previously made my views concerning the “parallel state” allegations parroted by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and a vicious group of aides with “unknown intentions” clear. To sum it up, I noted that it is up to the infallible measure of the law to determine what the “real state” is and what the “parallel state” is.

With blinders on, government sees everything as parallel structure

Embattled by massive corruption allegations at home, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has been trying to distract the public's attention from allegations of corruption by holding an imagined “parallel structure” responsible for anything making the government look bad.

AK Party-Hizmet clash a blessing for world Muslims

Doğa Sacit*

The fierce clash going on between Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), headed by the once-globally revered Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the Hizmet movement, inspired by Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, is a blessing in disguise for any Muslim living both inside and outside of Turkey today.

Europeans concerned about rule of law in Turkey

The Independent Commission on Turkey, a body supported by the Open Society Institute in Turkey, released its third report on Turkey's relations with the European Union on Monday in İstanbul.

Students enchant German crowd with poems of praise

Students receiving an education in Turkish schools across Europe captivated thousands of Turkish immigrants in Germany with their recitations of naats -- poems in praise of the Prophet Muhammad -- during a ceremony held in Düsseldorf on Saturday evening to celebrate Holy Birth Week.

Turkish schools in Austria select finalists for Int'l Turkish Olympiads

Qualifications for Austria's International Turkish Olympiads took place in a festive atmosphere on Saturday evening with a magnificent event in Vienna, with the attendance of hundreds of both Turkish and Austrian citizens.

Gov't closes schools instead of resolving education problems

The Ministry of Education and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government have been focusing on closing down private prep schools for university preparation (dershanes) and Turkish schools abroad instead of spending its energy on resolving critical problems in the Turkish education system, experts say.

Calls to boycott Hizmet institutions denting market confidence

Calls that have been made over a period of several months by top government officials, including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to boycott schools and institutions run by the Hizmet movement will undermine confidence in Turkish markets, a recent report has said.

Erdoğan's political ambitions clash with Turkey's long-term interests

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's series of regressive and anti-democratic political priorities and aspirations in both domestic and foreign policy are, in many ways, considered to be contradictory to Turkey's long-term interests and are being criticized for lacking vision and specific ideas.

Erdoğan will further polarize Turkey as presidential election approaches

While campaigning for the local elections on March 30, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's political rhetoric stirred up discomfort in Turkish society due to a perceived vilification of certain groups in a tone which many in the West would consider to be discriminatory.

Turkish schools abroad victims of AKP-Gulen conflict

Fehim Taştekin, Radikal

The fate of the Gulen movement’s schools — located in over 160 countries — is being debated following Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's declaration of war in the wake of the Dec. 17 graft probe that targeted individuals associated with his government.