Political spectrum

There was a plan by the SYRIZA-led government to acquire and control media, according to the multi-page reasoning of the Special Court, published on Monday, that led to the conviction of ex-minister Nikos Pappas to two years in prison over his handling of a 2016 TV license tender.

BELGRADE - The Serbian Ministry of Defence said on Monday that, by a March 16 decision of the Serbian government, the international military tactical exercise Platinum Wolf 23 had been exempted from a moratorium on planning, preparation and execution of exercises with foreign partners at home and abroad.

The decision by the Migration and Asylum Ministry to proceed with the gradual closure of the Lavrio refugee camp due to objective criteria, namely the unsuitability of the site to continue hosting refugees, will also satisfy Turkey, which has constantly demanded its shutdown as it considers it a "training camp" for Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants.

Members of Pro-Kurdish party Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) shout slogans against government in Istanbul, Turkey, 25 September 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA

"Our party will not give a verbal self-defence on April 11 against the attitude of the Constitutional Court, which means interference in free and fair elections," the HDP said in a statement.

Sweden should take more concrete steps in terms of fighting anti-Türkiye terror on its soil in order to be admitted to NATO, the Turkish foreign minister said, calling on Stockholm to focus on efforts to curb finance and propaganda means of the terror organizations.

Stressing that Türkiye needs solidarity in its fight against terrorism, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan underlined that removing terrorism from the agenda of humanity is among their main duties.

The ruling Conservatives maintain a lead of 4.5 percentage points over leftist main opposition party, SYRIZA, in voting intention, according to a new poll by Pulse, conducted on behalf of broadcaster Skai, and published on Tuesday.

The National Security Council (MGK) has discussed the election security and the measures needed for the May 14 polls, the council said in a statement after it convened in the capital Ankara on March 30.

"Measures for holding the May 14, 2023 elections in an environment of peace and security were reviewed," the statement said.

A law passed by the previous leftist-led government giving the vote to people whose 17th birthday falls within the calendar year of an election, a year earlier than previously, means that people as young as 16 years and 5 months will be eligible to cast ballots. It also means a larger than usual cohort of new voters.

"The law on the reform of the pension system was adopted in the French parliament and, if it passes the control of the constitutional council, then sooner or later it will have to be the topic for negotiating table, because regardless of the fact that the law has been adopted, it needs to be implemented, and that will not work easily because the unions in France are very influential," Duan Guja