Turkey

Negotiations between the European Union and Turkey will continue at the same pace, new Turkish Minister for EU Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu said while assuming the ministerial powers.

The Turkish military dispatched reinforcement units to the areas bordering Syria on Thursday. Turkey sent reinforcements to the security

Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced he has changed 10 of his cabinet ministers in the wake of a high-profile corruption probe. While some of the reshuffles were planned ahead, others are believed to have been occasioned by the investigation.

The European Union has warned Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to cease his interference in a major corruption probe into high-ranking officials.

Turkish police have used tear gas against thousands of anti-government protesters in Istanbul as Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to break the hands of “plotters”.

Turkey’s main opposition leader has raised the pressure on the government over the massive graft probe in which ministers’ sons have been arrested, claiming that the government has lost its legitimacy since the prime minister is protecting the figures who are involved in corruption.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan threw down the gauntlet to his rivals, including “spies” and “traitors” Dec. 22, warning them against using allegations of high-level corruption to undermine his rule or he would “break their hands.” 

The police in Turkey’s Istanbul fired rubber bullets, tear gas andwater cannon to disperse more than 10,000 anti-government protesters on Sunday. An eyewitness said five people were injured and one had a heart attack during thedemonstration supported by more than 200 political parties, associations and platforms inthe country.

Turkey and Moldova have agreed to speed up ties in order to create a strategic partnership and a free trade agreement, TurkishPresident Abdullah Gül said yesterday, after he met with Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti.

On Dec. 18 the Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov received the head of the General Plan and Principles Department of the Turkish Armed Forces, General Staff, Lieutenant General Alpaslan Erdogan.