The One Behind the Wheel & more – 12th Dec 2023

Merhaba from Keswick Village! This is the Rorshok Turkey Update from the 12th of December twenty twenty-three A quick summary of what's going down in Turkey.

In a follow-up to a story from our last show…

Recall that last week, motor couriers took to the streets, angry about unsafe work conditions and the death of one of their colleagues.

On the 30th of November, an unnamed driver killed a motor courier and ran off. Frustration grew as authorities kept the driver's identity secret and ignored the protestors' pleas for information.

Well, on Friday the 8th, a Turkish prosecutor revealed that the son of Somalia's President was behind the wheel, driving a consulate vehicle. The prosecutor issued an arrest warrant for him. However, the son has already escaped from Turkey. This sparked even more anger from the public. Many blamed the authorities for giving the perpetrator enough time to escape before revealing the story to the public.

Moving on…

On Thursday, the 7th, President Erdoğan visited Athens, Greece, to restore the strained ties between the two neighboring countries. Reportedly, the two presidents agreed to take some reformative measures to mend the relations, including open communication and military de-escalation.

As a gesture of goodwill, Greece reinstated an automatic visa system for Turkish nationals to visit ten of its islands, easing travel and fostering cultural exchange. The move was called into question. On the bright side, the measure might be a welcome bridge to holidays at lower costs and without visa hassles. It could also increase competition among Turkish vacation destinations, potentially driving down prices. On the other hand, it could be a strategic play with mixed benefits; the policy might be an attempt to limit Turkish access to the Schengen visa while still benefiting tourism revenues.

The biggest reason for applying for a Schengen visa is to visit the Greek coast as it’s close to Turkey, and people can easily access the place. However, getting a Schengen visa also allows Turks to enter Europe. Dividing the visa limits the area where tourists can travel to.

Let’s talk about some political disagreements…

In a meeting with the Kocaeli Journalists Association, Saffet Sancaklı, a member of the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, reportedly criticized its ally, the ruling Justice and Development Party or AKP, for not allocating any municipality to the MHP in Kocaeli province. Recall that in twenty nineteen, the two parties won the local elections under a coalition called the People’s Alliance. He emphasized the importance of the MHP gaining a district municipality in Kocaeli in the upcoming twenty twenty-four local elections to ensure that MHP members and voters feel represented within the alliance. Sancaklı warned that the People's Alliance might lose several municipalities in Kocaeli if the AKP doesn’t give MHP a fair share in the distribution of municipalities.

MHP leader Bahçeli responded to Sancaklı's comments by questioning whether he intended to continue a tradition of switching political allegiances. In response, Sancaklı denied having said any of that. He announced that he would take legal action against those who spread this news. Later, Sancaklı resigned from his position in the MHP to prevent any kind of speculation within the party.

Freedom of expression faced a setback today as Hüseyin Yayman, AKP lawmaker and head of the Digital Media Commission, said the government prioritized family values over individual liberties during a discussion with TikTok representatives. He referred to the content people share on social media, saying that they were inappropriate and promoted actions that go against family values. Yayman added that he was against censorship, but not when it came to censoring content that harmed social values.

Now some news from the opposition bloc…

While visiting Germany, Özgür Özel, the leader of Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, called for better relationships between the social democrats of Turkey, Germany, and the European Union. He also urged for action to stop the violence in Gaza, emphasizing the need for a ceasefire and adherence to international law. Özel said that all global problems should be solved through dialogue and cooperation, not violence. He added that he believes social democrat leaders, especially in Europe, need to take strong action to address the issue.

On to education…

The city of Kırklareli has become the third to appoint religious officials as "spiritual counselors" to schools, raising concerns about secular education. These counselors are regular imams and preachers who don’t have any pedagogical training. The Education and Science Workers' Union argues that the existing school counselors are sufficient and demands transparency and clarification from the authorities regarding the project's goals and execution.

Following this, on Sunday the 10th, Alevi organizations in Turkey gathered for a "Democratic Turkey” rally in Istanbul's Kadıköy district, calling for a better life, secular education, and judicial independence in the country. The various opposition parties and organizations attended the rally to show support.

Mustafa Arslan, the Alevi - Bektashi Federation head, emphasized the importance of preserving the republic, especially at a time when sharia practices, meaning Islamic law, is gaining momentum and popularity. Arslan voiced concern about government interference in private lives, referencing regulations impacting the secular lifestyle.

Back to political feuds…

On Wednesday the 6th, opposition Good Party’s leader Meral Akşener slammed public transportation in major cities. Speaking just days after her party rejected the CHP’s alliance offer in the local elections for next year, she highlighted the inadequacy and outdated nature of infrastructure, particularly in Istanbul, İzmir and Ankara, all led by the CHP. Akşener attributed the shortcomings to inadequate urban planning, political disputes, and insufficient funding. Following her remarks, a video of Akşener complimenting a new metro line in İstanbul in the early months of twenty twenty-three went viral. Some called her a hypocrite, recalling how she'd previously disagreed with the candidacy of CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu and instead advocated for Istanbul and Ankara mayors, İmamoğlu and Yavaş, as alternatives. However, now she’s calling them out for insufficiency.

Some updates on housing…

Back in twenty nineteen, The Turkish Housing Authority, or TOKİ, proposed a project to make low-income families house owners with affordable prices and manageable payment plans. However, four years later, the project has fallen short of its promises, leaving many disappointed.

Initially, President Erdoğan said that the monthly installments would be less than half of the minimum wage and that the project would be completed within one year and a half. However, the reality is far from it. First of all, the construction has only just begun - four years later - and the suggested monthly installment is already more than 1.5 times the minimum wage. The project is now out of reach of many it aimed to help.

At Yıldız Technical University, or YTÜ, in Istanbul, students decorated a pine tree with festive decorations for the upcoming New Year. However, some Islamist individuals took down these decorations. This sparked a cycle of redecoration and removal.

Some social media users, unfortunately, resorted to threats and accusations, saying that such celebrations were inappropriate in a Muslim country. This argument overlooks Turkey's secular constitution and the fact that decorating a tree is a widespread New Year's custom, independent of any specific religious holiday.

Student organizations at YTU have called for a gathering on Monday the 11th around the tree, inviting everyone to decorate it. .

Some football updates…

In a shocking incident following Ankaragücü's 1-1 draw against Çaykur Rizespor, Faruk Koca, Ankaragücü chairman, physically assaulted referee Halil Umut Meler on the field. This grave breach of sportsmanship has led to the Turkish Football Federation's immediate suspension of all league matches until further notice.

And to wrap up this edition…

According to Google's Year in Search twenty twenty-three report, the devastating earthquakes that occurred on the 6th of February and the high-stakes elections that took place on the 14th of May were the two most searched topics on Google in the country this year.

Aaand that's it for this week! So here's to a bit of holiday spirit. We wanted to thank you for listening, learning, thinking, and for joining us on this new thing called Rorshok we're all doing together. Really. Thank you.

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