5 PREDICTIONS FROM 5 PUBLIC POLL COMPANIES
Daily Gazete Vatan published 5 predictions from 5 public poll companies in today's issue. Here are the results of the polls of the companies:
ANDY-AR:
AKP 50 – 52 %
CHP 26 – 28 %
MHP 9 – 11 %
Independent: 6 – 7 %
SONAR:
AKP 44 – 48 %
CHP 24 – 28 %
MHP 12 – 16 %
Independent 24 – 30 Deputies, supported by BDP
METROPOLL:
AKP 44 – 48 %
CHP 26 – 28 %
MHP 13 %
Independent 6 %
GENAR:
AKP 48 %
CHP 25 %
MHP 11 %
Independent 6 %
SISAM:
AKP 38 – 40 %
CHP 29 – 32 %
MHP 12 – 14 %
Independent 6 – 8 %
http://haber.gazetevatan.com/5-arastima-sirketinin-secim-tahminleri/379983/9/Siyaset#
AEGEAN MILITARY MANEUVERS REPORTEDLY CANCELLED DUE TO COUP PROBE
Two naval maneuvers of the Turkish Armed Forces in the Aegean Sea might have been cancelled due to an investigation into an alleged coup plot after prosecutors summoned six high ranking generals and an admiral for testimony as suspects. The Turkish General Staff said on Thursday it cancelled the biannual maneuvers, Seawolf 2011 and Ephesus 2011, without citing any reason. Commander of the War Academies Gen. Bilgin Balanlı, who is probably the next Air Forces commander, is among those who are called for testimony.
KURDISH POLITICIANS ASK FOR WEST POLL OBSERVERS
Kurdish politicians are worried about possible irregularities in the upcoming June 12 elections and have requested that international observers be sent to monitor the polls, according to diplomatic sources.
"The irregularities have started already. Ballots from regions which plan on voting for independent deputies have been moved to other locations," Filiz Koçali, the co-leader of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, or BDP, said during a meeting Thursday in Ankara with foreign diplomats in which the Kurdish delegation requested the election observers.
The meeting brought together staff from a number of Western embassies, as well as representatives of the Democratic Society Congress, or DTK, an umbrella of pro-Kurdish groups.
Speaking at the meeting, Koçali said the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP's, Kurdish initiative had not advanced beyond political and military operations and added that 43 people had recently died in operations against members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.
The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
Diyarbakır Chamber of Medicine head Şemsettin Koç, meanwhile, complained about the use of tear gas during protests. "[But] it is not only the Kurdish people being oppressed. It is all minorities."
According to reports, Nezehat Teke of the Peace Mothers Group asked the foreign diplomats what would happen in their countries if bombs and guns were used there.
Embassy representatives confirm BDP meeting
Two embassy representatives confirmed the meeting. "This was a meeting that took place on the BDP's own initiative," one of the embassy representatives, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.
The representative said the BDP officials raised suspicions over the course of the general elections, especially in Southeast Anatolia.
Another European embassy diplomat, again speaking on condition of anonymity, said party officials expressed complaints about the use of gas bombs by the police during the demonstrations in the region. The diplomat also confirmed that the party had sought observers from European countries for the elections.
"They mentioned the fact that they want to see observers from European countries during the elections. We mainly listened to them," said the European diplomat. "There was nothing new in the messages from the party officials who have raised similar concerns at different platforms."
In addition to Koçali and Koç, the DTK committee that attended the meeting included BDP foreign relations deputy Ömer Ağın, BDP Central Executive Board member Ayhan Bilgen, Rights and Freedoms Party, or HAK-PAR, deputy leader İbrahim Küreken, Participatory Democracy Party, or KADEP, deputy leader Nizamettin Maskan, and representatives from nongovernmental organizations in Diyarbakır.
Joining the DTK committee were representatives of the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Greece, Switzerland, Denmark, Hungary embassies, as well as an EU delegation.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=bdp-shares-election-issues-to-foreign-diplomats-2011-05-26
BOMB ROCKS ISTANBUL; PM HINTS AT TERRORISM
A bomb that exploded Thursday in Istanbul's upscale Etiler neighborhood, wounding eight people including one police officer passing by, seems to have been the work of a terrorist organization, according to the prime minister.
"Once we have the final conclusions, authorities including Istanbul's governor will make the necessary explanations. It would be wrong to declare anything at this point. When we look at it, we can easily realize the explosion is related to a terrorist organization," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told journalists Thursday during a visit to the governor of Central Anatolian province of Niğde, according to a Doğan news agency, or DHA.
Yazgülü Şubatlı and a 38-year-old, Ayten Bal, were seriously injured in the explosion, the latter reportedly having lost her leg.
The blast was caused by a medium-strength bomb that was mounted on an electric bicycle near a bus stop in the Etiler neighborhood, Istanbul Police Chief Hüseyin Çapkın said.
Çapkın confirmed in a statement that explosives placed on an electric bicycle had caused the blast at around 9 a.m. He also said the bomb was an explosive of medium strength.
The bomb's target might have been the police, as the electric bicycle carrying the bomb was placed close to a nearby technical college for police. Meanwhile, Istanbul's Gov. Hüseyin Mutlu said, "Citizens were the target," according to a report Thursday on Hürriyet's website.
Saying that the scene of the explosion was still under investigation, Mutlu noted there had been no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. He condemned the attack, saying it showed the brutal face of terrorism one more time, thee Anatolia news agency reported on Thursday.
"Terror has reached the cities. The June 12 elections are not more important than people's security," said the general chairman of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, or BDP, Yalçın Topçu, in a written statement, according to Anatolia. Recalling that terror attacks keep taking lives in Turkey and that they had warned the authorities for months, Topçu said, "Those cursed [people] who feed on blood and violence have repeatedly claimed that action and provocations will increase as the elections approach."
He blamed authorities for being content with just condemning terrorist attacks after they occur. "The government keeps criticizing political extensions of separatists, in pursuit of gathering votes, instead of fighting efficiently against terror."
Topçu also said a change in the existing concept of the fight against terrorism was necessary, adding that the death sentence had to be brought to the agenda once more, for deterrence purposes.
The eight people wounded in the explosion were sent to hospitals in the surrounding area. Meanwhile, the blast also damaged a public bus and a private vehicle passing by, as well as several buildings. Traffic in Etiler was reopened after the police and security forces completed their investigation in the area.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=explosion-in-istanbul-2011-05-26
2 WOUNDED IN BOMB ATTACK IN TURKEY'S SOUTHEAST
A bomb explosion outside a military housing complex wounded two civilians in Turkey's southeastern Diyarbakır province Thursday night, an official said, according to the Associated Press.
Diyarbakır Gov. Mustafa Toprak said Friday the injured were in stable condition after the overnight attack.
The cause of the explosion was a noise bomb, Anatolia news agency reported.
A day earlier, a bomb mounted on a bicycle went off near a bus stop in Istanbul during morning rush hour, wounding eight people, including a policeman. The government said the bombing resembled a terrorist attack.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=2-wounded-in-bomb-attack-in-turkeys-southeast-2011-05-27
ERDOĞAN TO ANNOUNCE CRAZY PROJECT FOR DIYARBAKIR
After announcing "crazy projects" for Istanbul and Ankara, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he will soon announce a "crazy project" for the southeastern province of Diyarbakır. Erdoğan said they would make public the "crazy project" for Diyarbakır close to the June 12 elections.
