Government of Turkey

No sanctions coming from the EU will change Turkey's positions on its rights in the Eastern Mediterranean, the country's foreign minister said on Dec. 14. 

"It is not possible to give up our rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean just because sanctions will come or because the EU will criticize us," Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told lawmakers during 2021 budget debates in parliament.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Dec. 14 Turkey will impose a four-day lockdown beginning on Dec. 31 to maintain gains against the pandemic.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Erdoğan said the stay-home order would begin at 9 p.m. on Dec. 31 and run through Jan. 4. 

COVID-19,

A report by Greek security and intelligence services highlights the existence of an organized network behind migrant transfers from Somalia to Greece via Istanbul.

The network is said to include the Turkish Consulate, Erdogan Hospital and City University in Mogadishu, as well as Turkish-based Islamic nongovernmental organizations. 

A country cannot sustain its democracy by closing political parties, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Spokesperson Faik Öztrak said on Dec. 14, referring to the call of Nationalist Movement Party leader Devlet Bahçeli to shutdown the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).

Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) lawmakers had exchanged a war of words over security policies of the government that escalated tension at the budget talks of the parliament on Dec. 13.

During the budget negotiations, HDP MPs criticized the appointment of trustees to the municipalities where their party's candidates won at the elections.

As part of the Turkish government's pledges to improve the country's investment environment, the Presidential Economy Policies Council has prepared a draft of new measures, sources have told daily Hürriyet.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has called on "democrats" to unite, stressing that a people-oriented perspective should rule the whole world.

Baseless statements of Iran, targeting Turkey and the Turkish president are not acceptable, said Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Dec. 12, according to diplomatic sources.

The EU must discard the pressure it is facing from Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, Turkey's president said on Dec. 12.

It is extremely wrong for Turkey's relations with the EU to be captive to the tricks of one or two states, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a video link address at the opening ceremony of the Manisa-Akhisar Highway in western Turkey.

Germany and Bulgaria were the most vocal among the EU countries who blocked sanctions against Turkey at the EU summit on Thursday (10 December), reports EURACTIV.

"German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov were the EU leaders who openly opposed sanctions against Ankara," the sources said.