The Turkish army chief, during a visit to Islamabad, signed an agreement with his Pakistani counterpart, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, to increase the level of military cooperation between Turkey and Pakistan.

The media in Ankara did not mention the exact dimensions of the agreement,

But it seems that the only predictable part of the agreement is holding joint military training and coordinating military exercises.

Pakistani President Arif Alvi also handed the Medal of Honor from the Pakistani government to Major General Umit Dundar, commander of the Turkish army.

According to the Pakistani President, the award was given in recognition of General Dundar’s commendable service in strengthening Pakistan-Turkey relations.

Over the past few years, the Turkish government has paid special attention to developing relations with Pakistan.

Conducting a joint military exercise, an arms deal with Islamabad, and a memorandum of understanding to enhance military cooperation are part of the new dimensions of developing Turkish-Pakistani relations.

A joint military exercise between Turkey and Pakistan

Turkish efforts prompted Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to support the Republic of Azerbaijan during the recent Karabakh War and to increase cooperation between the Ankara-Baku-Islamabad Triangle through Baku support.

Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov recently announced that the special forces of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Pakistan will hold joint military exercises in September hosted by Baku.

Of course, Pakistan has already participated in a joint naval exercise off the coast of Cyprus at Turkey’s request.

Islamabad is a de facto supporter of the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”, and Turkish Cypriots can only travel to Turkey and Pakistan with their passports.

Selling Turkish Helicopters to Pakistan

In 2018, Turkey signed an agreement with Pakistan under which 30 ATAK military helicopters were sold to Pakistan.

But the American handbrake prevented the deal. Because the Pentagon announced that the Turkish helicopter engine was produced with an American license and was not allowed to be exported.

The Turkish defense industry also announced that it has been working on a domestic project to produce helicopter engines for the past two years and that this problem will be resolved soon.

US defense analysts say the Pentagon’s decision has nothing to do with the issue of engine licenses, and that these US actions against Ankara are related to the purchase of the S-400 missile system from Russia.

The other dimension is the US approach to Pakistan.

The Americans made no excuse to export Turkish helicopters to the Philippines, but in the case of Pakistan, they raised the issue of CAATSA and engine licensing.

Since the cessation of US military support to Pakistan, Turkey has sought to sell more arms to Islamabad.

Selling four frigates, 30 helicopters, dozens of personnel carriers and military equipment, wiretapping and security equipment needed by border regiments and demining.

Pakistan ranks 11th in the world in the list of countries importing arms, defense and military supplies.

According to SIPRI reports, between 2014 and 2019, an average of 76% of Pakistan’s military imports came from China.

As a result, Turkey must overcome the barrier of a competitor who is quietly and unequivocally one of the largest exporters of the defense industry.

Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan

In recent years, relations between Ankara and Islamabad have grown.

But now Turkey appears to be more enthusiastic about developing relations.

Because Turkey’s decision to continue its military presence in Afghanistan is directly linked to Pakistan’s close and distant allies.

At the recent NATO summit in Brussels, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he needs the support of Pakistan and Hungary to stay in Afghanistan.

But political analysts say such a thing is impossible.

Former Turkish Foreign Minister Hikmet Cetin, who has been working at NATO headquarters in Afghanistan for many years and has a thorough understanding of the country’s political and security equations, comments on Erdogan’s proposal:

“I very much hope that this proposal is just a mistake. The news and interpretation are wrong. Most of the hardline Taliban leaders are already in Pakistan.

It seems fundamentally impossible that the issue of participation in airport operations with Pakistan will be accepted by the civilian government of Afghanistan.

Because most Afghans believe that their government has been fighting the Pakistani Taliban for years.

Pakistan’s political support is very important and should be for peace and stability in the region.

However, efforts to establish an airport are wrong and it is unlikely that this proposal will be accepted in Afghanistan.”

The statements of the former Turkish minister seem correct, and a large number of Afghan political and military leaders do not look positively at Pakistan.

But the ongoing cooperation between the Turkish intelligence service and the Pakistani intelligence service will help Turkey get a better position in Afghanistan.

While facilitating the Taliban movement, mediated and led by Pakistan.

Of course, it is important to note that despite all the efforts made by Erdogan and Imran Khan and the constant meetings between Qureshi and Çavuşoğlu, the relationship between Turkey and Pakistan has not developed in all areas.

For example, Turkey-Pakistan trade volume over the past few years has always been between $600 million and $800 million.

Reaching $1 billion for the first time in 2020.

Considering Pakistan’s 220 million population and market capacity. That is not a significant figure.

Turkey hopes to boost its trade relations with Pakistan by linking railway networks with Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

But evidence shows that developing defense and security ties is currently more important for both countries.

The post The development of military relations between Turkey and Pakistan, obstacles and challenges appeared first on Move 2 Turkey.

Quoting the Qatari Al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper, today (Tuesday), in a report on the most important axes of the talks between Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dandanis and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, points from the Ankara-Cairo talks were revealed.

Egyptian diplomats told Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed that the main topic of talks between Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias in Cairo on Sunday is the new developments in relations between Cairo and Ankara, as Athens was previously close to Egypt more than Turkey. Where the Greek Foreign Minister expressed concern about the rapprochement with Egypt and Turkey.

Al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper indicates that this is the second visit of the Greek Foreign Minister to Cairo during the past two months.

I also wrote that this visit is due to statements by Turkish officials about “significant” progress on the diplomatic and security front.

Talks with Egypt, as well as steps taken in Turkey to stop media attacks on Cairo, although Egypt remains conservative in its rhetoric to officials and the media.

The case, according to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, created an ambiguity for Cyprus, Greece and other countries with negative roots against Turkey.

The Qatari daily continues that issues such as the future of Egyptian-Turkish relations and their impact on relations with Greece and Cyprus, and whether Turkey can join the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Union, are the main topics of the Egyptian Foreign Minister’s talks with his Greek counterpart.

However, the official statements of the ministers ignored these issues and only referred to strengthening bilateral relations and knowledge of the situation in Libya.

Egyptian diplomats said that the Greek minister and his accompanying delegation repeatedly asked questions about “guarantees that Egypt wants to obtain from Turkey regarding regional issues, as well as special assurances not to interfere in Egypt’s internal affairs and stop media attacks through channels in Turkey.”

The sources added that the Egyptian side revealed for the first time during Sunday’s meeting that “discussions at an advanced level about the comprehensive withdrawal of Turkish forces from Libya and the country’s commitment not to intervene militarily in the Libyan affairs, as it is a strategic matter.”

He stressed that “Egypt is penetrating deep into the west of the country in exchange for the efforts of Egypt and Turkey to support a political force in Libya that is in the interest of both parties.”

The sources also indicated that Egypt informed the Greeks of any potential threat to the interests of the Emirates and France, Egypt’s main allies in Libya, and other countries concerned about Turkish interference and the political impact of this move on the Libyan and transitional parliament.

The government said, “It will take into account the interests of Abu Dhabi and Paris, and keep them informed of the latest developments in these talks.”

According to these sources, on the issue of Egypt’s non-participation in the assembly held last Friday in Cyprus, in which Athens, Abu Dhabi, Tel Aviv and Nicosia participated, “Egypt’s decision was taken in the context of laying the foundation and expressing goodwill between Ankara and Cairo in light of the intelligence meetings between Ankara And Cairo. “

He added, “Turkey has relied heavily on an agreement to support its position in facing Greece over the maritime border crisis between the two countries.”

The sources also said that due to the widening distance between Cairo and Athens, Greece began efforts to demarcate its maritime border with Libya, Turkey’s strategic ally, which Egyptian diplomats described as “disappointing.”

This is in order to put pressure on Ankara in the event of approaching Egypt. Convergence, if done, would weaken Greece’s position in the future.

Egyptian diplomats also expected that the alliance between Athens and Cairo would not be as strong as it was before, given Turkey’s involvement in some of Cairo’s demands from Ankara, including TV channels hostile to Egypt, as Turkey’s moves in this regard have satisfied Egypt.

He said that this step would lead to an agreement with Ankara on the Middle East and thus an alliance between Egypt, Greece and Cyprus.

Regarding the gas issue, Egyptian sources said that Greece, Cyprus and the Israeli occupation have no problem with Turkey joining the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Union.

But Egypt made Turkey conditional on joining the union.

Conditions that Cairo informed Greece about, including full coordination with mechanisms of drilling, exploration, liquefaction, procedures and selling prices between countries.

However, all these issues were left on the negotiating table between Egypt and Turkey until the most important items and direct relations between the two countries were agreed upon.

Al-Araby Al-Jadeed writes that in light of the contradictory expectations of many economic agencies in the region and the world, as well as companies active in Europe’s continued dependence on gas and hydrocarbon products in future contracts, this is in the common interest of all parties. To support the hydrocarbon market and accelerate efforts to discover, extract and sign drilling and import agreements.

The Qatari newspaper adds, on the other hand, that Turkey’s accession to the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Union is a natural goal for Ankara, as it ensures its participation in economic decision-making in the region, and on the other hand, Turkey’s use in dealing with the United States and Russia, and protects the region and its strategic presence. .

In addition, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed quoted the sources as saying that Turkey tends to link the discussion about the opportunities and conditions for joining the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Union with another important issue: such as the demarcation of the maritime borders.

It is an issue that Egyptian sources described as “the preferred target of the two countries.” But the current contacts between the two sides make this possible and easy in the future.

The sources said, “The Egyptian-Turkish talks are still studying their participation with Israel in an ambitious project to export gas to Europe, given that Egypt and Israel are now the main owner of the largest gas field in the region.”

The post Report: Greece worried about Ankara approaching Cairo appeared first on Move 2 Turkey.

Borrell’s analytical note shows that the European Union seeks to interact and manage tensions and disputes with Turkey.

But at the same time, there is no news of negotiations to complete Turkey’s membership in the European Union.

According to the International News Agency, on the eve of the visit of senior European Union leaders and officials to Turkey, we see a green light for interaction between Brussels and Ankara.

In recent days, unlike in the past few months, AKP spokesman Omar Celik and other officials of Turkey’s ruling party responded to Emmanuel Macron’s critical statements in a softer tone.

Perhaps the reason for this flexibility is the soft statement from the last EU summit on Turkey.

The same statement in which the Commissioner of the European Union Ursula Vanderlein indicated the continuation of cooperation and dialogue with Turkey.

But at the same time, by sending an implicit threatening signal, it also expressed that in the event that Turkey take a step that the European Union considers provocative in the eastern part of the Mediterranean or issues related to Greece and Cyprus, as well as oil and gas exploration, this matter would be a stopping point for cooperation between Europe and Turkey.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, also wrote a short note on Turkish-European relations that included a reactive, non-tension-based policy.

One of the most important differences between Spaniard Borrell and his Italian predecessor Federica Mogherini is that Mogherini was prepared to speak only in front of the media camera.

And finally, at the level of writing short tweets.

But Borrell is a writer, and constant blogs and notes on a variety of fields are allowing analysts and journalists to become more aware of the EU’s foreign policy positions and approaches faster than ever before.

Borrell wrote:

Last week, the Council of Europe opened a new page in relations between the European Union and Turkey.

“European Union leaders are ready to work together in important areas of cooperation, including updating customs rules and regulations, resuming high-level talks and people-to-people contacts, as well as strengthening cooperation in migration management.”

A new chapter in relationships

The European Union’s foreign policy coordinator pointed to the negative trend in relations between Turkey and the European Union in 2020 and said that it has reached a low level with unprecedented tension.

However, in late 2020, Turkish officials began to reconnect and show a desire to communicate and interact with the European Union.

“The negative rhetoric and stances have diminished greatly, and actions against the interests of the European Union member states in the eastern Mediterranean have ceased.”

Josep Borrell wrote, “Of course, we have to admit that the current situation is not yet stable and fragile.”

Where he took a realistic look at the current state of the relationship between Ankara and Brussels and some of the ongoing disagreements between Ankara and Brussels.

Such as Ankara’s economic dependence on the European Union.

However, the Union welcomes these developments and Turkey’s next steps and extends a hand of friendship to Ankara.

The European Union is concerned with establishing strategic relations and upgrading them to the level of cooperation and mutual benefit.

This rule applies equally to Turkey. Because the European Union is Turkey’s primary import and export partner and also a major source of foreign investment.

According to figures before the spread of the Coronavirus epidemic, 69.8 billion euros came from Turkish exports to the European Union, and 58.5 billion euros from foreign direct investment from the European Union.

More than 5.5 million Turkish citizens live in the member states of the European Union.

According to opinion polls, 61% of Turkish citizens view the European Union as an actor, and an influential force in the world.

“Given Turkey’s membership in NATO and its effect on maintaining Turkey’s security and stability, it is unlikely that it will find a better option for friendship and security than the European Union and NATO.”

List of important differences

A quick look at the positions of Turkish and European officials over the past few months shows that tensions have stopped, but that the differences remain unresolved and remain strong.

Borrell wrote, “It would be naive to think that the problems are over.”

The report on relations between the European Union and Turkey, which I co-authored with the European Commission and presented to the Council of Europe, takes a two-pronged approach and identifies four main elements of tension in relations:

• Maritime conflicts in the eastern Mediterranean.
• Efforts to solve the Cyprus issue.
• Various and strict procedures in regional conflicts, especially in Libya and Syria.
• The deterioration of democratic standards in Turkey.

Borrell wrote of the significance of these differences:

“With regard to regional issues and tensions, we have important work and plans for the future.”

Especially in the case of Syria, where the Brussels Fifth Conference to support the future of Syria and the region is being held in cooperation with the United Nations.

Meanwhile, in the Libyan case, a convergence of interests has recently begun to emerge.

I must point out that democratic norms remain strong, not only for the European Union, but also for the Turkish people as a major issue.

Talking about and acting on such issues will always be an integral part of relations between the European Union and Turkey.

“The pressure on political parties, free media, and other recent Turkish decisions is incompatible with respect for democracy and basic rights.”

“The report on the state of political, economic and commercial relations between the European Union and Turkey clarifies the fact that the impact of tensions on our bilateral relations is clear and undeniable,” wrote the head of the European Union’s foreign policy.

The statement made by the members of the Council of Europe last week rightly referred to these different elements and highlighted their importance in ensuring success through cooperation and dialogue.

It is not easy to walk the road ahead. EU leaders stressed the need for a gradual approach, but at the same time reversible cooperation.

There is a fundamental difference that separates today’s efforts to find a solution from those of the past.

Knowing that the old differences affect the security interests of the European Union and cannot be limited to bilateral relations between Turkey, and some member states consider Turkey an important regional power, and its historical destiny may be to join the rest of Europe in the unique peace project that we are building under the auspices of the European Union.

At a time when it appears that the strategic pole around the world is re-emerging, strengthening the democratic pillar of Europe, including Turkey, can be a key element in achieving balance.

This is not certain, but the Council of Europe has suggested a possible bridge path.

“We have to build this bridge now, and I believe in that.”

Finally, Borrell’s analytical note shows that the European Union seeks to deal with tensions and disputes with Ankara and its administration.

But at the same time, there is no news of negotiations to complete Turkey’s membership in the Union.

In other words, Turkey and the European Union, as evidenced by the text of Joseph Borrell’s memorandum, have interlocking interests and specific mutual approaches that make tolerance and efforts to manage tensions less reasonable for both sides.

The post Report: Where is the relationship between Turkey and the European Union heading? appeared first on Move 2 Turkey.

President Erdogan‘s government has put the development of economic relations on the agenda as an important and strategic goal, unlike the opposition parties.

According to the Anadolu news agency, Turkey hosted the Chinese Foreign Minister yesterday.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is on a regional tour, traveled to Ankara after his visit to Riyadh and met his Turkish counterpart, Cavusoglu, on the first stop.

In addition to his work as China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi is a prominent member of the Communist Party Leadership Council.

Commenting on his meeting with the Chinese official, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu wrote:

“On the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ankara and Beijing, we discussed with the Chinese Foreign Minister the potential for economic cooperation. Our cooperation in combating the Coronavirus continues and we have shared our sensitivity with him about the Uyghur Turks.”

After the meeting between the foreign ministers of China and Turkey, a detailed meeting was held between the two delegations, after which Wang Yi was escorted to see a photo exhibition, showing pictures of Turkish-Chinese cooperation in combating Coronavirus and the arrival of Chinese vaccines in Turkey.

After his meeting with the minister and attending a meeting of commercial and political delegations, the Chinese foreign minister went to the Bastepe Palace to meet the Turkish President at the Presidential Palace.

The conversation between Erdogan and the Chinese foreign minister lasted seventy minutes and no information about its content was leaked to the media.

Economic interests

Evidence shows that, in order to strengthen Turkey’s relations with China, Erdogan’s team is thinking more about strengthening trade ties than anything else, and trying to overcome all political issues and margins.

In the grand plan, Turkey plans to increase exports to China, and although it has not scored impressive wins yet, important steps have been taken in 2019 and 2020.

Rafet Akgunay, an analyst at the Ankara Center for Policy Studies (APM) wrote:

“The Middle East is very important to China and Turkey.”

Initially, both countries want to increase their economic productivity in the region.

China is increasingly dependent on oil and gas resources in the Middle East.

In fact, since 2019, China’s oil imports from the Middle East accounted for more than 44% of total oil imports.

Chinese products accounted for 10.2% of Turkish imports in 2017, equivalent to only 1% of Chinese exports.

The trade balance between Turkey and China is evolving with a marked increase in China’s favor.

“Thus, while imports from China in 2019 amounted to $ 18.4 billion, Turkey only exported $ 2.9 billion worth of goods to this country.”

Hence, the AKP government has placed the development of economic relations on the agenda as an important and strategic goal.

Troubled margins of Uyghur supporters in Ankara

The Chinese foreign minister’s visit to Turkey was not without controversy, and as expected, the Uyghur nationalist parties, angered by the Beijing Communist government’s treatment of East Turkestan Muslims, came to the embassy and organized a protest march in Ankara.

On the other hand, Uyghur supporters showed pictures of the camps and asked why there were training camps, watchtowers and barbed wire walls.

But Du Brinjic, leader of the National Communist Party, whom his opponents call “the lover of China”, said the camps are not centers of cultural and religious exploitation, assimilation and torture, but rather training centers for skills-strengthening.

China and the Syrian crisis

One of the important issues that could cast a shadow over relations between Ankara and Beijing is the crisis of Syria.

The truth is that China has not interfered much in Middle Eastern affairs due to its trade-oriented foreign policy.

But the Syrian crisis is also important to China, as thousands of extremists from East Turkestan have traveled hundreds of kilometers from China to Turkey and Syria and are now in Idlib.

Of course, the issue of China and Turkey in the Syrian case is not only about Uyghur extremists, but also economic competition in the future Syrian reconstruction process.

It is also important to note that China and Turkey, in addition to Syria, are also competing in trade and investment in Iraq and Africa.

Turkey, Chinese missiles and Shanghai

The pursuit of military cooperation between Turkey and China was a goal first taken in the 1990s.

Some agreements on joint production of missiles were signed and implemented, and negotiations were suspended in 2013 for the joint production of long-range missiles with Chinese technology in 2015 due to the withdrawal of the Turkish side.

As a member of NATO, Turkey first conducted joint military exercises with China.

Again during this period, although Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeatedly expressed his desire to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the request was met with silence by the Chinese.

As a result, Turkish-Chinese relations remained only on the commercial path, and promoting trade and attracting Chinese tourists, as well as the party of large Chinese investors, became one of Erdogan’s main goals.

The post The visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister to Turkey. How did relations develop in the economic field? appeared first on Move 2 Turkey.

After efforts to avoid Trump administration sanctions, Turkey now fears that the White House will immediately take a tougher stance on Ankara.

According to recent social media news, Dan Arbel, an expert on Turkey, Israel and the Middle East and a former senior member of the Center for Middle East Policy and the Brookings Institution, wrote in an article in the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS):

As Joe Biden enters the White House, Middle Eastern representatives are trying to reassess their policies in hopes of maintaining closer ties or improving relations with the United States.

Turkey is one of the players concerned that the Biden government will take a hard line against Ankara in the first place.

In late December 2020, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan surprised many. When he made conciliatory remarks and expressed his hope that relations between the United States and European countries would improve.

In a public speech, he also welcomed the return to normal Turkish-Israeli relations, and said that his country is ready to improve relations with Israel.

Erdogan also stressed that relations between Turkey and Israel could not be problematic if Israeli politicians recognized Turkey’s red line. Especially when it comes to Israel’s policy towards Palestine.

Erdogan withdrew from strengthening bilateral relations with Israel, but his statements about Israel came a few days after the Turkish media announced their decision. This move prompted Erdogan to appoint his advisor, Ufuk Ulutaş, as Turkey’s ambassador to Israel.

This announcement came because Turkey had not had an ambassador to Israel for nearly two years. Erdogan also acknowledged the fact that there are intelligence contacts between Israel and Turkey and they are expected to continue in the future.

Erdogan’s recent statements came after a decade of intense tensions between Ankara and Jerusalem, during which the two sides suspended their political dialogue, summoned their ambassadors, and relied on harsh words based only on the economic interests that keep the relationship in place.

After a close strategic partnership in the 1990s, the two countries became rivals in 2010. Israel attacked the Gaza flotilla. An attack on the Mavi Marmara ship carrying humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza trapped in international waters on May 31, 2010, in which nine Turkish citizens were killed.

In 2016, a normal agreement was signed between the two sides, but it quickly collapsed with Turkey’s objection to Trump’s staunchly pro-Israel policies. In a way that Turkey considered it at the expense of the Palestinian people.

Turkey also objected to Ibrahim’s agreement. An agreement was signed between Israel, the Emirates and Bahrain. In this regard, Turkey accused the UAE and Bahrain of betraying the Palestinian cause.

Catalysts of Erdogan’s Progress

American and Israeli politicians and analysts view Erdogan’s recent comments as extremely pessimistic, suspicious, and worthless.

While Israeli government officials did not officially respond to the comments, senior officials told the Israeli media that Turkey should prove this in practice, not in words.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi reportedly held a high-level consultative meeting earlier this month to find out the motives behind Erdogan’s latest move.

However, there is widespread consensus that Erdogan’s statement about his desire to improve relations with Israel is an attempt to win support from the Biden administration as well as a new Congress controlled by Democrats.

Despite widespread criticism in Washington of Turkey’s policies in Syria, Libya, and the eastern Mediterranean, and above all the purchase of S-400 anti-missile systems from Russia, Erdogan has managed to protect Turkey from the harsh punitive measures of the Trump administration.

But in December 2020, the Trump administration imposed limited sanctions on Turkey. Sanctions of more than $ 2.5 billion were imposed on the deal to purchase S400 systems under the U.S. Enemy Countermeasures Act in 2017.

Erdogan wants to avoid confrontation with Biden, who is fiercely critical of the Turkish president, and hopes for the relief of additional US sanctions on the S400 deal or the Turkish Hulkbank case.

Erdogan hopes that his views on Israel will attract the attention of the powerful pro-Israel lobby in Washington, whose support will be of great value to Ankara if Turkey faces more problems in the future.

Long-term hope for regional leadership

Erdogan’s statements are also in line with Turkey’s regional considerations in the Middle East. In 2011, Erdogan had hoped that the Arab Spring would provide a platform for Turkey to increase its influence in the region and provide a space for leadership in the Arab and Islamic world.

This hope was quickly dashed due to the military coup led by Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt and the escalation of the civil war in Syria. Nevertheless, Erdogan has always tried to return Turkey to a leadership role in the region.

With the recent developments in the region, especially the normalization agreements between the four Arab countries and Israel, Turkey feels that the anti-Israeli situation could lead to marginalization.

It is also likely that the Arab countries will join the cycle of normalization in the coming months and years, even Qatar, an ally of Turkey.

Erdogan does not want to be left out. The agreement to end the three-and-a-half-year-old Gulf dispute with Qatar, signed in Saudi Arabia earlier this month, may pave the way for Turkey’s efforts to improve relations with Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, which in turn may reduce tensions in the region.

Trade is what sustains bilateral relations

Erdogan is interested in maintaining close economic ties between Turkey and Israel.

During a decade of crisis, it was trade that stabilized relations. In 2018, the value of bilateral trade reached 6.2 billion dollars, while in 2019 it reached 5.5 billion dollars.

Turkey was the sixth largest trading partner of Israel. Official trade numbers for 2020 have not yet been released, but trade has been hit hard by the coronavirus epidemic.

The Turkish economy is also affected and Erdogan is concerned. Therefore, it seeks to ensure that no further losses are incurred.

With the escalation of tensions over natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean between Turkey, Greece and Cyprus, Israel, Cyprus and Greece (together with Italy) are working to develop the EastMed pipeline project, which is expected to transport natural gas from Israel to southern Europe via Cyprus and Greece. .

The Israeli-Turkish natural gas pipeline project, which experts say is the most economically and logistically viable option, has been canceled in recent years due to tensions between the two leaders.

While stressing the need to diversify his country’s energy sector, Erdogan hopes that improving relations with Israel will stimulate the pipeline project. (Meanwhile, the EastMed pipeline project is canceled.) Finally, despite the Turkish president’s hostility to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his harsh criticism of Israeli policies, Erdogan recognizes the value of sharing information and continuing to work together on issues of common concern, such as Syria and the fight against terrorism. The reciprocal aspect can deepen the relationship to improve it.

On the other hand, Israel has its own concerns about Turkey, especially Erdogan’s close ties with Hamas (which hosts the Hamas office in Istanbul) and other Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated groups in the region, and Turkey’s alliance with Qatar (which also supports Hamas).

Erdogan’s harsh words toward Israel, many of which appear anti-Semitic. Undoubtedly, if Israel wants to continue close relations with Turkey, it will create very clear conditions for a meeting with the Turkish president. The start of the Biden presidency may provide an opportunity for both countries to explore this possibility.

The post What does the Biden presidency mean for Erdogan? appeared first on Move 2 Turkey.

Yesterday was an important day for Turkey.

Because in Brussels and at the meeting of European Union foreign ministers, positive signals were sent to Turkey.

As they decided to cancel the EU sanctions decision on Turkey at the next summit.

Where the German Foreign Minister said that Turkey’s move to negotiate with Greece was a positive and valuable step, and that there was no need to impose sanctions on the country.

And that the European Union’s foreign policy coordinator had indicated Turkey’s constructive action for the sake of dialogue.

Of course, the results of yesterday’s meeting do not mean the complete elimination of the danger.

In any case, this position on the union has pleased the leaders of Turkey, and they hope that in the post-corona stage they will be able to gradually deal with the Turkish economy.

And with the positive signals coming from Brussels and economic credit institutions.

Global banks, investment companies and multinational companies have a better view of operating and operating in Turkey.

Cavusoglu victory or Maas?

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu arrived in Belgium a few days ago to meet with European Union leaders.

He met almost all European Union officials, including Council President Charles Michel, Foreign Minister Joseph Borrell and European Commission President Ursula Vanderlein.

But the position of foreign ministers in Brussels yesterday showed the fact that the current positive view of the European Union to Turkey was not the result of Cavusoglu’s diplomatic efforts, but rather the result of the successful mediation of German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas is a diplomat who has played a special role as mediator.

He had previously sought to create an atmosphere of dialogue between Turkey and Greece, and returned empty-handed from the capitals of Ankara and Athens.

Nevertheless, on the advice of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Union officials.

Maas continued his efforts, eventually thawing the ice and placing the Turkish and Greek governments on the negotiating table despite many difficulties.

The new round of Greek delegation’s meetings in Turkey and their talks with Ibrahim Kulin, the president’s spokesman and chief Erdogan’s advisor for foreign policy and national security, have yielded promising results so far.

Nevertheless, the decision to continue the talks and hold the next round of talks in Athens is a valuable event for the European Union.

Why is Greece so important?

The tweet of the President of the European Union, Josep Borrell, about Turkey’s political behavior and Europe’s stance towards the country contains a very important point.

He wrote that “Reaffirmed with Ministers importance of engaging with Turkey to advance, consolidate dialogue + avoid returning to escalation.

Launching of exploratory talks between Greece and Turkey today is an important step.

Equally important to ensure the restart of the United Nations-led Cyprus settlement.”

The start of exploration talks between Greece and Turkey is an important step.

Of course, it is equally important to ensure that the UN-led Cyprus agreement resumes.

In recent years Turkey has come under repeated criticism by the European Union.

The special rapporteurs of the Union Parliament have consistently pointed out that Turkey is far behind European standards in terms of democracy, political development, rule of law, central government rights, freedom of expression and minority rights.

Interestingly, however, these criticisms almost never resulted in a punitive approach, and what was done for Turkey was only to slow Turkey’s membership in the European Union negotiations.

Of course, once upon a time, Kati Piri, a former reporter, heightened the tension so much that entire negotiations to complete the membership process were put on hold for a while.

Nevertheless, the current approach of the European Union demonstrates that important issues such as the full protection of the rights and interests of official members of the European Union (Greece and Cyprus), are the main and most important factor for the European Union.

From the European Union’s point of view, the emphasis on the Greek issue and the necessity to resolve the Athens-Ankara conflict is not just an expression of the importance of relations between the two European countries.

It is a series of other important issues.

In addition to the Cyprus issue and Turkey’s views on the defect in the Turkish Republic of Cyprus.

These include Turkey’s access to oil and gas in the eastern Mediterranean, the Turkish Maritime Security Agreement, and the Libyan Government of National Accord.

In the future, issues such as the mechanism for transporting gas from Israel to Europe and Turkey’s membership in the European Union, or its non-membership in the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum, will be discussed step by step.

While Borrell stressed the importance of Greece and Cyprus, European Union Council President Charles Michel tweeted another, brief and important point: “Dialogue needs to produce tangible outcomes in the interest of both EU and Turkey.”

Michel’s position makes it clear that in addition to a subtle division of labor among EU leaders to deal with Turkey’s actions and contain its actions, the focus is on “achieving results” and avoiding the option of “negotiating in order to negotiate” with EU leaders.

It is vital and they want the talks between Turkey and Greece to reach a clear conclusion anyway.

Second, for the United Nations to be able to clarify the mission of the issue by continuing the Cyprus talks, and third for Turkey to move in light of the talks in the eastern Mediterranean and to find a clear arrangement.

Contact or membership of Turkey in the European Union is the issue

Finally, there are two important questions that must be answered:

1- Will the future of relations with the European Union be fundamentally upended, and can this current situation remain stable?

2- Can an agreement in these areas have a decisive effect on the completion of Turkey’s membership in the European Union?

In response, Ankara’s leaders discussed their general policies in the eastern Mediterranean and how to engage with the European Union.

In addition to the issue of the important energy resources off the coast of Cyprus, the new US developments and the installation of the Biden administration.

And one of the main reasons for starting negotiations with Greece and adopting a moderate approach to exploration and extraction is that they have a glimpse into the possible reactions of the new US president, Joe Biden.

Some also argue that, contrary to popular belief, negotiating with a country like Greece is extremely difficult and complicated.

According to the clear and technical viewpoints of experts in this field, the Greeks have an extremely greedy and aggressive stance towards their maritime, continental and border rights, and their final agreement with the Erdogan government will require several other meetings.

Therefore, it is not safe to say that the current spring climate between Turkey and the EU will remain stable and the current situation is somewhat fragile.

In response to the second question, it must be said that the European Union’s criticism of Turkey in the political, legal and financial fields is still strong.

As a result, the current positive climate between Turkey and the European Union does not necessarily facilitate Turkey’s full EU membership process.

It will only ensure better and trouble-free communications. Which could bring positive economic and political benefits to the AKP government.

And perhaps, issuing a blank check signed for full membership for Turkey in the European Union.

The post Report | What are the reasons for delaying EU sanctions on Turkey? appeared first on Move 2 Turkey.

2020 was a difficult year for the economies of all countries of the world – except for China.

The Turkish economy is not an exception, and although the market for exporting Turkish goods to the world ended in a deficit of 10%, it is not clear how successful Turkish exporters will conquer the markets in 2021.

Turkish tourism is expected to pick up in 2021, but Turkey’s economic and political leaders remain focused on increasing exports more than anything else.

Since the year 2020 was a special and different year for all countries of the world, this report focuses more on the statistics of 2019.

The Turkish Economy and the “Trade Deficit”

The trade balance, referred to in some sources as “net exports” (NX), is the difference between the monetary value of imports and the resulting exports during a given period.

In fact, the trade balance is a measure of the relationship between imports and exports from countries.

The positive value (if exports exceed imports) is called the “trade surplus” and the negative value is called the “trade deficit” or “trade gap”.

Since Turkey has always been in need of the outside world in the field of energy and spends an average of $ 30 billion annually on energy purchases and production has not grown much, it is naturally always in a “trade deficit” or “trade gap.”

According to a report prepared by the Turkish A&T Bank and compiled by Omar Arsan and Aisa Ozden.

Turkey has tried in recent years to reach a balance by reducing imports, increasing exports and gradually closing the trade gap.

In 2018, the Turkish economy succeeded in increasing exports by 7% to 168 billion dollars.

And imports were frozen by 4.6% to 223 billion dollars.

Taking into account the size of the trade gap and the negative balance in 2018. The number reached 55 billion dollars.

In other words, Turkey imported 55 billion dollars more than it exported.

Of course, the decrease in imports was not directly related to the issue of production and the national decision.

But the decrease in the volume of imports was related to the fluctuation of the dollar and the devaluation of the Turkish national currency.

The average annual volume of Turkish foreign trade in the past ten years has reached 372 billion dollars.

Of course, one of the success points of the Turkish economy was that in the field of exports it tried to refrain from exporting raw materials.

In 2018, 94% of Turkey’s exports belonged to value-added goods, and the export of raw materials accounted for only 6% of the total exports.

AK Party and export

In the past 18 years, during the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Turkish diplomatic services have always sought to transform diplomacy and foreign policy into a tool for promoting the export market, in addition to exporting goods and engineering services.

In 2002, when Erdogan and his allies in the AK Party took over the Turkish government, the country’s total exports to foreign markets reached $ 36 billion.

But after 8 years, in 2010, Turkey’s exports reached 114 billion dollars, and in 2014 they reached 158 billion dollars, and in 2018 they reached 168 billion dollars.

But in recent years, the AKP government has once again turned to hard power, and despite the relative increase in exports, relations in some areas have turned to cold and freezing, especially in trade.

With Europe, it could make things somewhat difficult for Turkish exporters and contractors in the medium term.

Political and economic fights

Over the past few years, Turkey has always been at the forefront of regional news with its military adventures.

In important cases like Syria, Iraq, Qatar, Libya, Somalia, Cyprus, the Eastern Mediterranean, Egypt, Crimea and Nagorno Karabakh, Turkey has always sought a way to demonstrate its strength.

But in parallel with these scandalous measures, many efforts have been made in the field of boosting foreign trade, and now it appears that the military show of force could gradually negatively affect the progress of trade.

Of course, what is interesting is that in important areas such as trade with Egypt, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and even Syria, there are no major problems.

And it seems that the place that could pose a threat to reduce Turkish exports is the European continent.

Despite the existing political problems, Turkey exported $ 3 billion to Egypt, $ 1.5 billion to Syria, $ 3.3 billion to the United Arab Emirates, $ 4 billion to Israel and $ 3.3 billion to Saudi Arabia in 2019.

(These numbers also saw minor negative changes in 2020.)

Read about the relations with Europe here

Europe, a large market for the Turkish economy

In 2019, according to the tradition of all previous years, Europe was the beating heart of Turkish exports.

As Turkey sent goods worth 93 billion dollars to European countries.

After this continent, Asia was the second largest market for the Turkish economy, with 44 billion dollars, Africa bought 15 billion dollars from Turkey, and the total exports to the Americas reached 12 billion dollars.

Some of the biggest Turkish goods customers in continental Europe in 2019 and based on billion dollar figures are:

• Germany 15.326
• England 10
• Belgium 3.2
• France 7.2
• Netherlands 5.347
• Spain 7.5
• Greece 2
• Poland 3
• Romania 4
• Bulgaria 2.5

Turkey’s export group priorities

Statistics of the Turkish economy in 2019 show that Turkey sent goods worth $ 92 billion to the OECD countries and $ 44 billion worth of goods to the OIC member states.

Exports to OECD countries reached 19 billion dollars.

Among the Arab Gulf states, Turkey has only worked well with the United Arab Emirates and Qatar and has scope to increase exports to other countries in the region.

In the region of the three most important countries, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, exports need to expand, as the total exports to these three countries have not yet reached two billion dollars.

The post Report | In which markets the Turkish economy has achieved more success appeared first on Move 2 Turkey.

Tensions between the European Union and Turkey have subsided after the phone call between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and European Council President Charles Michel last night (Tuesday) to call for a “new page” in relations between Ankara and the European Union.

Two days before the phone call, Charles Michel told Radio France Inter that since October, we have been witnessing Erdogan’s hostile speech and the continuation of his unilateral actions.

The game of cat and mouse must be over, the decision to impose sanctions has been made.

The crisis in relations between Turkey and the European Union, which began a few years ago, has become very serious in recent months, and the two sides are witnessing the most critical period in the history of relations.

French newspaper Le Monde reported that this is the first contact between Erdogan and European Union officials since the decision to impose European Union sanctions on Ankara.

In a statement issued by the Turkish president at the conclusion of the talks, Ankara said that some people were constantly trying to create a crisis.

He expressed his regret and called for the Turkish-European relations to be “saved” from this “enemy circle.”

The French media continued: “European Union leaders decided, in a meeting held in Brussels last Thursday, to impose sanctions on Turkey because of Ankara’s” illegal and aggressive “actions in the Mediterranean against Greece and Cyprus.

Turkey’s exploration of gas fields in the disputed offshore areas has been at the forefront of these tensions for months.

And Agence France-Presse added that Erdogan also expressed his desire to “resume” talks with the European Union “in all respects” and “on the basis of common interests.”

According to him, the immigration agreement signed in 2015 could be a starting point for creating a “positive” atmosphere.

The crisis in Turkey’s relations with European Union member states, including France, is so severe that French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that the European Union will not take any destabilizing measures. We gave Turkey a chance last October, but it kept moving.

“This was a test for us, and we passed this test because three important agreements were approved yesterday and today,” Macron said after the European Union’s decision to impose sanctions on Ankara at the EU summit in Brussels.

The Brussels Meeting

In a meeting held in Brussels on Thursday evening, the leaders of the European Union agreed on economic sanctions against Turkey; According to the conclusion of the summit of the 27 member states of the European Union, a list of people who will be subject to sanctions in the coming weeks will be prepared and submitted to the members of the Union for approval.

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement after the meeting, that the position of the European Union in its recent summit is biased and illegal: “This biased and illegal position that was taken at the end of the EU summit on December 10 is unacceptable to us.”

The history Turkish relations with the European Union

Over the decades, Turkey developed its relations with European countries and expanded its membership in various European institutions.

Relations also developed so that in addition to its membership in European institutions, Turkey participated in European competitions.

Turkey’s complaints about non-compliance with European Union membership have continued for years.

During the term of Prime Minister Tansu Çiller in 1995, Turkey was accepted into the European Customs Union and Turkey officially became a member of the European Union on January 1, 1996.

In May 2004, 10 countries, including the Greek Cypriot part, joined the European Union, and this can be considered a turning point in Turkey’s relations with the European Union.

In 2008, Turkey submitted a formal application to join the European Union.

“We hope that the European Union will be able to take a constructive and wise approach to Turkey,” the French newspaper Le Monde quoted the Turkish president as saying.

American Sanctions

The United States also imposed sanctions on Turkey on Monday over its acquisition of the Russian air defense system (purchase of the S400 air defense system).

Yesterday, Tuesday, the Turkish Defense Minister stressed that the US sanctions on Ankara had undermined the alliance between the two countries, and that Turkey would continue its efforts to preserve the security of the country and its people.

In response to the unilateral US sanctions against Turkey, the Foreign Minister said: “We strongly condemn the recent US sanctions against Turkey and stand with the people and government of this country.”

Although Erdogan has spoken in recent days about the Ankara government’s determination to develop relations with the European Union, informed observers say that the lack of trust between the two sides will be a very serious problem in developing relations even if the issues between them are resolved.

In conclusion, according to informed observers, Turkey is not the country that was 10 or 20 years ago that accepted the demands of the European Union unconditionally.

In recent years, Turkey has been able to bear many demands by gaining strength and the relative stability of its economy, in addition to various factors, including the issue of foreign asylum seekers in the country, the investments of Turkish citizens in the member states of the European Union, and more than 3.5 million Turkish citizens. Living in European Union countries allow Ankara to stand up to EU demands and use its influence against them if necessary.

The post Report: Tensions between the European Union and Turkey are easing appeared first on Move 2 Turkey.

Large crowds and congestion on the public transport network, and the need for millions of citizens to go to work, are the main reasons for the widespread of the Coronavirus in Istanbul.

Istanbul faces a greater risk as it is a densely populated city known as the commercial and tourist capital of Turkey.

Professor Mustafa Saeed Jinin, Vice President of Istanbul Paşa University of Surgery, said: “Unfortunately, in recent days, with the cold weather in Istanbul, we have seen the number of patients doubling.”

Something like this is very dangerous for the densely populated city of Istanbul and we may find ourselves in a very difficult situation.

In this situation, we are facing a difficult winter. However, our most important weapons are masks, social distancing and the use of sterilizers. “Please put carelessness and laziness aside.”

According to information and evidence published in the Turkish media, the large crowds and congestion on the public transport network and the need to go to work for millions of citizens are the main reasons for the outbreak of the Coronavirus in Istanbul.

New statistics on the spread of Coronavirus in Turkey

According to the latest statistics uploaded on the website of the Turkish Ministry of National Health, the current Coronavirus outbreak rate in Turkey is as follows:

• The number of tests in the past 24 hours is 117,000
• The number of patients during the past 24 hours has reached 1894
• 74 deaths in the last 24 hours
• The total number of deaths since the beginning until today is 9,445 people
• The total number of patients since the beginning until today is 351 thousand people
• The total number of recoveries is 307 thousand people
• The number of patients with difficult conditions is 1545
• The total number of tests from start to date is 13 million

Strict control in Istanbul

Istanbul, in addition to being the commercial center of Turkey, is the heart of art centers and the residence of movie and music stars.

Hundreds of artistic personalities live in this city that attracts attention and the necessity to show off is a sustainable part of their lives, and in these days of Coronavirus they do not give up parties and gatherings.

With no concerts banned in Istanbul, Turkish police have crashed several concerts and fined guests, most of whom are well-known artists in the fields of Turkish cinema, television and music.

During the past month, the process of monitoring public places, markets and shopping centers in Istanbul has become very strict.

Istanbul’s Governor, Ali Yerlikaya, has published statistics on the last 24 hours of surveillance, which is interesting in its own way.

He wrote: In the past twenty-four hours, 415 crew consisting of 998 individuals were dispatched, and 4,586 commercial, entertainment and public centers were visited.

“299 unit managers or shopkeepers were warned, in 713 cases we were forced to collect fines, 28 malls were handed over to the union office for heavy fines, and we closed two malls.”

The demand for seasonal influenza vaccines has doubled

This year, as in other countries, the demand for seasonal influenza vaccines has doubled.

In order to prevent the formation of the black market, the Turkish Ministry of National Health ordered the sale of the vaccine at an approved price of 73 Turkish lira, and that every citizen has the right to purchase only once based on the registration of the national code in the e-government system.

Coronavirus Vaccine test in Istanbul

So far, three American, Chinese and German companies have tested their Coronavirus vaccine in Turkey.

Of course, the director of the German pharmaceutical company is a Turkish professor of pharmacology, and it is not without reason that the company chose Istanbul as a test center.

So far, 550 citizen volunteers have participated in the vaccine testing program.

According to the reports published by Professor Murat Akova, the testing of these vaccines is successful and the third phase of testing will be implemented soon.

Positions of the opposition journalists

Several anti-AKP  journalists criticized the government repeatedly on Twitter and other social networks.

“Everywhere in the world, the government is fighting Corona,” wrote Murat Yetkin, a well-known and long-standing Turkish analyst. “But the government prefers to tamper with the statistics and hide the trash under the carpet with a broom”.

“In Italy, Belgium, France and some other European countries, weekends have been designated as curfew days, Because the government provides financial aid to restaurants and entertainment centers and is not harmed. But this is not the case in Turkey.” wrote Şerin Bayazan, the anti-Erdogan TV presenter. 

Dangerous transportation in Istanbul

The high price of petrol has made transportation in taxis and private cars expensive for most Turkish citizens.

This problem is most evident in Istanbul, which has a population of 14 million.

As a result, most people in this bustling Asian-European city use minibuses, buses, sea buses and subways, which leads to increased congestion and the risk of spreading infections and infections.

Statistics challenge

Turkish National Health Minister Fahruttin Koca showed a successful record during the fight against Coronavirus.

Even in several opinion polls, his name was mentioned as a presidential candidate, and it was found that his popularity surpassed that of Erdogan.

But with all this fame and success, the minister lost some of his credibility with the media with a statistical statement.

“In our opinion, it is not necessary to name every patient a patient,” he said some time ago. “Coronavirus disease is not like other diseases, and we take that into account in our statistics.”

These statements cost the Minister of Health dearly, and the opposition media in particular mentioned that the statistics announced by the Ministry of Health are no longer reliable.

However, the Turkish Minister of Health has not given up, and is regularly proceeding with the fight against Coronavirus in Turkey.

In one of his new tweets, he posted a picture of a minibus full of standing passengers and asked the police to stop the cars if they saw this.

Professor Amun Cihan, a member of the faculty at Hacettepe Medical University in Istanbul, said: “To find out the real number of patients, we have to double the number of patients by 5, which equates to 10,000 new cases around the clock.”

Coronavirus in Turkey and the party competition

One of the main reasons for the politicization of the issue of Coronavirus statistics in Turkey is that the four most important municipalities of Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya and Adana, with a population of millions, are run by the most important opposition party, the Republican People’s Party.

Indeed, the mayors of these cities have formed management groups to combat Coronavirus in parallel with the government, and we are already witnessing parallel administration in these cities, and this has affected the process of announcing the statistics.

This means that the governorate and the health department in the governorate are working to show the successful record of the government and the ruling party, and the municipality headquarters work in a different way in order to challenge the success rate of the government.

The opposition media even turned the issue of masks into a political one, as newspapers made headlines on the front page: “The Governor: Why didn’t you wear the mask?”

“Shopkeeper: I don’t have a job, we want to die.”

Or another newspaper entitled: “Instead of asking for the mask, ask for the empty entrance to my store.”

The post Report | Difficulties fighting the Coronavirus in Istanbul appeared first on Move 2 Turkey.

The Turkish electric car will come with an Italian design, a German engine and Chinese batteries, and it is expected to conquer the local and European market.

Whereas, according to several Ankara-based newspapers today, the Turkish National Group of Automobile Manufacturers “TOGG” has finally reached an agreement with a Chinese group, and an agreement was signed to produce batteries for the Turkish electric car, which will be the first of its kind.

The Ankara Daily newspaper stated in a special report that “the Turkish national car designed by the Italian Pininfarina Group and agreed with the German Bosch Group to build the engine, also signed a contract with the Chinese company Varassis to purchase the battery.” “It was signed and now the parts for this car are being assembled one by one.”

Turkish electric vehicle production was expected to improve very soon and enter the market in 2022. But it appears that part of the project has been halted due to the large-scale outbreak of the Coronavirus.

Now, the group of manufacturers is still operating, and the Turkish electric vehicle, designed by the Italians, the German engine and Chinese batteries, primarily, seeks to conquer the local market soon.

National or imported car?

Three years ago, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed, in several speeches, that he expected many “gentlemen” to meet to produce a national car for Turkey.

Erdogan’s signal prompted a group of conservative investors and economic activists to come together and form the first group to try to produce the local Turkish electric car in Turkey.

The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the leader of the Justice and Development Party unveiled the national production car in a huge ceremony, in an atmosphere full of media hype, describing it as an important saga in the Turkish industry.

As most of the media wrote and talked enthusiastically about this, a few analysts said in the corners and under the lips: “A product designed in Italy and you will get help from others for the battery, and” Another country has built its engine, how can it be locally made? “

But the Turkish National Car Manufacturers Group (TOGG) is not obliged to listen to these words, and in addition to the United States and China, in 27 countries around the world, the design of the car is registered in the name of Turkey so that it is not copied and recognized in the global markets.

The Turkish national car and its importance in the economy in Turkey

Currently, Turkish citizens pay 7 Turkish liras in the regular currency of their country for every liter of gasoline.

Turkey imports its oil resources from abroad, and this strategic fuel is priced at the cost of refining, taxes, distribution and other factors.

For example, a police officer earns a salary of about 4500 Turkish lira, his total monthly salary is equivalent to 640 liters of gasoline! Therefore, not only owning a car and traveling on the street, but also using a taxi is expensive in Turkey, and Turkish citizens basically cannot buy a lot of cars.

Read more about buying a car in Turkey

On the other hand, several types of European and Asian cars, including Toyota, Hyundai, Peugeot, Fiat, Volkswagen, etc. are assembled in Turkey and sold at a reasonable price.

Therefore, the need to produce cars in Turkey is not an economic need, but rather a purely political need.

For decades, building a national car has been an epic national dream of Turkish politicians, and the former Turkish Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan, who was himself a professor and scientist in the diesel engine industry, promoted the idea and belief in the need for a national car.

Critics have criticized the attempt to turn the issue of national car production into a political issue and party propaganda.

Hikmat Cicek, an analyst at Oda TV, wrote: The AKP is also promoting the production of national cars.

Heads of state claim that they will transfer the national electric vehicle to the production line within a year. Meanwhile, it took more than two years to build the German Volkswagen brand’s assembly line in Manisa, Turkey.

How can it take just two years to deliver parts of an assembly line with everything coming from Germany, but a local production line where everything starts from scratch ends in a year?

If you say the same to the lower-ranked Mercedes-Benz and BMW workers, they will laugh at you.

These things remind us of China’s efforts to produce the National Geely car and India’s efforts to produce the Tata Car, which has gathered hundreds of engineers from all over the world.

Much money was spent, and in the end the result was cars that could neither be called patriotic nor attractive to the public.

Another point is we like to end everything in our name. “Like the Italian military helicopters, all of which are manufactured in that country, but in Turkey, we called it the Atak National helicopter.”

In any case, the production of a national ideal domestic car has become an important policy for Turkey, and it seems that the technical features of this car are not inferior to many foreign competitors, and the possibility of welcoming domestic buyers of this electric vehicle is not far from reason.

Special features such as 4G and 5G internet will be used to drive this vehicle, and some repairs will be made virtually and remotely.

Although the AKP government had previously rushed to produce the national car and send it to Turkish roads, it can now be predicted that the unveiling of the car will also become an election event. On the eve of the elections in mid-2023, we will see such action.

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