It is strange at many levels.

I dont understand the logic of invitations either.. Why is Belarus and why not Germany or Holland or the UK? Out of 5 million Turks living the European countries how many of them are living in Belarus? What about  the Turkish speaking population of Greece/Bulgaria and London? why have they been ignored?

What a strange and unnecessary  idea!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZEVcg7IdlM

Son Bakis - Sezen Aksu

A song written and composed for Erdal Eren who was hanged in 13 December 1980.

He was 17 yo and his age was changed to 18 in order to be able to hang him.

The lyrics of the song above was written by looking at this picture which was taken by a journalist Savas Ay.

Son Bakis means ´last glance´ or ´last look´

http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/the-funniest-autocorrects-of-2013?bffb

Woohoo.. a fight!! I am getting my popcorns

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zSJwnix5j4

Bahçede yeşil çınar- Leman Sam Guvenc Dagustun

"bahçalarda gül vari
var git ellerin yari
sen bana yar olmazsın
yüzüme gülme bari"

Court rules for release of jailed deputy and journalist Balbay

An Istanbul court ruled on Dec. 9 for the release of jailed deputy and journalist Mustafa Balbay, following a Constitutional Court ruling that his lengthy imprisonment amounted to a “violation of the law” and a “violation of his right to be elected.”

“I sincerely hope that this process will be a fresh start,” the journalist and Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Balbay said immediately after leaving Ankara´s Sincan Prison.

Balbay, 53, who was elected to Parliament in the 2011 general elections for the CHP, said he would probably take his parliamentary oath Dec. 10, but wanted more than anything else to take the pledge in front of the public.

Vowing to fight against every kind of unlawfulness and injustice, Balbay particularly asserted that he would take on the duty of supporting the freedom of prisoners subject to unjust treatment and lengthy detentions.

source:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/court-rules-for-release-of-jailed-deputy-and-journalist-balbay-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=59260&NewsCatID=339

Hopes are high for the release of jailed lawmaker Mustafa Balbay following a Constitutional Court’s landmark ruling stating that the lengthy imprisonment of Balbay amounted to a “violation of the law” and “violation of his right to be elected.”

The Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court is expected to announce its decision today in response to a petition from Balbay’s lawyers for his release following the top court ruling. Balbay’s lawyers petitioned the Istanbul court on Dec. 6, but the court said the decision would be announced this week.

According to a law governing Constitutional Court operations, the lower court should remove the violation that the higher court had ruled. Since the Constitutional Court ruled that Balbay’s right to be elected was violated, the lower court should release the lawmaker in order for him to exercise his right to hold office, Balbay’s lawyers said in their petition. Balbay, a columnist for daily Cumhuriyet, was detained on March 5, 2009 and elected as an Izmir deputy for the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy in the June 2011 elections, however, the Istanbul court refused to release him after elections. Balbay was sentenced to 34 years and eight months in prison on charges related to the Ergenekon coup plot trial on Aug. 5. 

..

Source: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/hopes-high-for-jailed-deputys-release-today.aspx?pageID=238&nID=59241&NewsCatID=339

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We will wait and see..

Amandla!!

..

There is a new American interest in Turkish domestic politics, which is showing itself more than usual, focusing on the coming three elections in Turkey, with a particular interest shown in the mayoral election in Turkey’s largest city: Istanbul.

It is obvious the Gezi Park protests and the government’s methods in suppressing them have agitated the already existing interest in Turkish politics. Those interested in Turkey in DC are still trying to understand the social and political dynamics behind Gezi, asking questions about how that could be reflected in the ballot box and the change in the level of pressure on Turkish media before and after Gezi.

The result of local elections to be held on March 30, 2014 is a matter of interest in that regard, with particular focus on Istanbul.

Istanbul elections have been one of the most asked questions to the CHP leader in DC, together with relations with Israel. Americans are trying to understand whether the CHP will be able to get Istanbul from AK Parti or seriously close the gap, thinking it could change the political atmosphere in Turkey.

That is one of the reasons that interest is being shown to the Turkish opposition, together with Gezi.

There are also questions who will be the next president of Turkey and what if Erdogan replaces President Abdullah Gül in August 2014, what would Gül do, whether he would accept to be a low profile prime minister as Erdogan would like to see, how will that effect Turkey’s domestic and foreign policy line and how could that change the composition of the next parliament in the general elections planned to take place in 2015.

The questions also focused on Turkish foreign policy in the light of the U.S. interests.

...

Source: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/istanbul-mayoral-race-caught-on-washington-radar.aspx?pageID=238&nID=59024&NewsCatID=409

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Istanbul is as big as  Greece+Bulgaria in population and bigger than those two countries together in economy.

AKP came to power after winning the elections in Istanbul. Erdogan was the mayor of Istanbul before become the PM. 

 Current mayor from AKP

 Mustafa Sarigul, who will be the candidate from CHP