
Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Turkey in 2003: August

August 1

The package found in the garden of Training Center of Judge and Prosecutor candidates exploded after it was hurled into the garden of an empty building nearby. No casualties took place. Another bag left in the same place exploded while security officials were examining it. In the explosion, 16 police officers were injured. Bomb experts were criticized in the public opinion as they didn't wear special clothes before examining the bomb.
The Supreme Military Council convened under the leadership of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Fleet Commander Admiral Ozden Ornek was appointed as the Naval Forces Commander, and War Academies Commander Gen. Ibrahim Firtina was appointed as the Air Forces Commander. The Council dismissed 18 personnel from Turkish Armed Forces due to lack of discipline in their behaviors.

August 5

August 6

General Sukru Sariisik was appointed as the Secretary General of National Security Council (NSC) following the opening of the way to election of civilians to this post.

August 7

The Seventh Adjustment Package which foresaw amendments in various laws entered into force. According to the law, the minimum punishment that could be given to those who commit the crime of insulting and offending the state and state officials defined under Article 159 of Turkish Penal Code, was reduced to imprisonment of six months from imprisonment of one year. No punishment is given to those who express their thoughts only with the aim of criticizing somebody without having the intention of insulting or offending anybody.

August 8

Motherland Party (ANAP) deputy Mustafa Zeydan resigned from his party. The resignation of Zeydan who joined ANAP after being elected as an independent candidate from southeastern Hakkari province, ended ANAP's representation in the parliament with one seat.

August 12

A meeting took place under the leadership of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to discuss the issue of sending soldiers to Iraq. Prime Minister Erdogan, Chief of General Staff Gen. Ozkok, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Gul attended the meeting.

August 14

Mustafa Zeydan, a deputy who resigned from ANAP and Mehmet Nezir Nasiroglu, another deputy who resigned from CHP joined AK Party. The number of AK Party's seats in the parliament reached 367 which was sufficient to amend the Constitution.

August 17

Istanbul Sisli Chief Prosecutor's Office ordered the detention of Hakan Uzan, Kemal Uzan, Yavuz Uzan and nine former administrators of Imar Bank as they didn't submit necessary documents of Imar Bank to Banking Regulatory and Supervisory Agency (BRSA).

August 22

Sami Evren, the Chairman of Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KESK) announced that they withdrew from collective bargaining talks with the government commenting that the talks were no longer useful for them.
In an operation launched in rural areas of Besiri town of southeastern Batman province, seven terrorists were killed and two privates died.

August 26

In a traffic accident that took place on the highway between Tasova town of northern Amasya province and the city center, 20 persons died, and 22 others were injured.

August 27

An ambulance plane of Turkish Air Forces brought 11 Iraqi patients to Ankara for medical treatment in Gulhane Military Hospital.
In a hand-over ceremony held at Air Forces Command, General Cumhur Asparuk said that ''while other nations try to control the world from the space, unfortunately we, the Turkish nation, still deal with issues such as imam-hatip schools, women wearing head scarves and religious sects.''
Sisli Basic Court on duty No. 2 decided arrestment of Kemal and Yavuz Uzan, the former owners of Imar Bank, in their absentia, for committing the crimes of ''embezzlement and cheating.'' In addition, nine former administrators of Imar Bank were arrested and sent to prison.

August 28

In the hand-over ceremony held at Naval Forces Command, Admiral Bulent Alpkaya said that ''unfortunately the separatist and fundamentalist activities having both internal and external sources which threaten the secular and democratic structure of the Republic continue to exist in this period in which we celebrate the 80th foundation anniversary of the Turkish Republic.''

August 30

Chief of General Staff Gen. Ozkok said in the reception he hosted upon the August 30 Victory Day that ''the U.S. thinks of giving a sector to us in Iraq and the commander and headquarters of that sector will be Turkish.''