Main political events in Türkiye in the last week.
Main political events in Türkiye in the last week.
Last week was packed with major developments in Türkiye. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico during his visit to Ankara. Meanwhile, the tragic fire in Bolu plunged the nation into mourning. Another significant event was the arrest of Ayşe Barım, a talent manager for film and television artists, due to her alleged involvement in the 2013 Gezi Park protests against the government.
Erdoğan-Fico meeting
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Ankara, and the two leaders held a joint press conference following their meeting. Erdoğan expressed his pleasure in welcoming Fico and his delegation, emphasizing their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations. He also announced that Türkiye and Slovakia had elevated their ties to the level of a strategic partnership.
During the discussions, agreements were signed to enhance cooperation in various fields, including defense, military collaboration, and culture. Erdoğan highlighted the significant progress in trade and investment between the two countries, noting that the trade volume, which stood at around $1 billion in 2019, had now reached $3 billion. “This trend shows that we will soon surpass our joint target of $5 billion. The work of our economic and trade joint committee, which will hold its first meeting this year, will contribute to achieving this goal,” he stated.
Emphasizing Türkiye’s substantial advancements in the defense industry over the past two decades, Erdoğan noted that strengthening defense cooperation with Slovakia, a NATO ally, was among the key topics discussed.
The two leaders also addressed Türkiye-EU relations and current regional and global issues. Erdoğan reaffirmed his belief that Slovakia would continue to support Türkiye’s full membership in the European Union. Additionally, they exchanged views on the war in Ukraine, with Erdoğan acknowledging Slovakia’s direct engagement with both Russia and Ukraine.
“Slovakia will continue to support our goal of full EU membership, and I sincerely believe in this,” Erdoğan said.
President Erdoğan also shared their assessments on the war in Ukraine, which has impacted all of Europe. He noted that Slovakia maintains communication with both Russia and Ukraine.
Erdoğan continued:
“We agreed that a just and lasting peace must be established before the effects of the war further deepen in our region. We also exchanged views on the steps needed to ensure stability and security in Syria, which remains our priority.
We emphasized that lifting the international restrictions imposed on Syria during the previous regime is crucial for initiating reconstruction efforts swiftly. We also discussed Slovakia’s potential contributions to these reconstruction efforts, both bilaterally and within the European Union framework.
The ceasefire agreement reached between Hamas and Israel has finally come into effect as of yesterday, despite Israel’s persistent objections. This is a positive development. Moving forward, it is essential to fully implement all aspects of the agreement and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The international community must hold Israel accountable for fulfilling its responsibilities in this regard. As Türkiye, we will continue to stand by the process until an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, is established.”
During the press conference, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico also took the floor, opening his remarks with:
“It has been 10 years since my last visit, and anyone who comes to Türkiye can confirm the tremendous progress that has been made. Today, without a doubt, you are a major political and economic power, as well as a significant international actor. I sincerely congratulate you on this.”
Fico stated that he visited Türkiye with his entire Slovak delegation to further strengthen the friendship and partnership between Slovakia and Türkiye.
Commenting on Türkiye’s EU accession process, Fico said:
“We fully support Türkiye’s aspiration for full EU membership and hope it becomes a reality as soon as possible. The Slovak Republic stands with you in this regard.”
He also emphasized that Slovakia-Türkiye relations remain strong and unaffected by external pressures. Expressing Slovakia’s desire to increase the bilateral trade volume to 5 billion euros annually, Fico added:
“Given the momentum in our economic relations, I have no doubt that this is an achievable target.”
Fico emphasized that Slovakia and Türkiye have stood by each other in both good and difficult times, stating, “This demonstrates the strength of our friendship and the solid foundation we have built. The Slovak government follows your rational, pragmatic, and peaceful foreign policy with great respect.” He also highlighted that both countries share the same perspective on the war in Ukraine.
“I would like to encourage you with all possible strength—Türkiye, as a country, could potentially host key actors in this conflict. I urge you to take this initiative. We all seek peace and a ceasefire, and Türkiye could play a mediating role in achieving this,” Fico said, underlining that there is no military solution to the war. He also praised Türkiye’s approach to Syria, stating, “We follow your smart policies on Syria with great respect.” He added that he had received valuable insights from President Erdoğan on the issue and expressed his belief that Türkiye would take significant steps to prevent Syria from descending into chaos.
Regarding the ceasefire in Gaza, Fico said:
“We are closely monitoring efforts to ensure the return of displaced individuals, especially those who have been kidnapped or taken hostage.” Acknowledging Türkiye’s crucial and independent role, he added, “Perhaps, for the first time, the people of Gaza, including children, are no longer hearing the terrible sounds of war.”
Fico also pointed out that Slovakia is a member of both the EU and NATO and emphasized its alliance with Türkiye within NATO. He openly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to halt transit gas, stating, “I strongly oppose Ukraine’s decision to stop gas transit. This move has harmed not only the Slovak Republic but also the entire European Union.”
He noted that the issue was discussed during his meeting with President Erdoğan and that Turkish and Slovak officials would continue talks to develop alternatives, ensuring Slovakia’s continued access to Russian gas.
Fico firmly rejected any attempts to block the east-to-west gas flow, stating, “The disruption of transit in Ukraine was, in fact, accompanied by a military attack—Ukraine launched an assault on Russian territory.” He condemned this attack, adding:
“We understand that such actions will not lead to stability or better relations. Following a ceasefire in Ukraine, we hope that energy security will be comprehensively addressed across Europe. In doing so, we expect both the interests of member states and the broader EU interests to be considered.”
The fire tragedy in the city of Bolu
Last week, Türkiye was shaken by a devastating fire at a hotel in the city of Bolu, which claimed the lives of 79 people, including children.
The fire broke out around 3:30 AM at a hotel in Kartalkaya, one of Türkiye’s major ski resorts, located at an altitude of 2,200 meters. Flames rapidly spread through the 12-story wooden structure, reportedly igniting in the restaurant area. With the hotel at 80-90% occupancy due to the semester holiday, 237 guests were staying at the time. As soon as the fire was noticed, an emergency call was made to 112, while hotel staff rushed against time to evacuate the guests. Panic ensued as guests, jolted awake, hurriedly fled the burning building.
Firefighters from Bolu and Gerede municipalities, along with police, gendarmerie, AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Authority), and medical teams, were dispatched to the scene. Fire crews arrived within 40-45 minutes and immediately began efforts to contain the flames. However, due to the wooden structure of the building, the fire quickly engulfed the entire hotel.
A total of 79 people, including both guests and hotel staff, lost their lives in the fire.
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç announced that six chief prosecutors had been assigned to investigate the disaster, and a five-member expert committee had been established. He also stated that nine people, including the hotel owner, had been taken into custody as part of the ongoing investigation.
Meanwhile, a dispute emerged between Bolu Municipality and the Ministry of Tourism over which institution was responsible for overseeing fire safety measures at the hotel. The debate soon escalated into a political clash between the government and the opposition, with both sides trading accusations in strong terms.
Arrest in connection with the 2013 Gezi Park Protests
Ayşe Barım, a talent manager representing film and television actors, has been arrested in connection with the 2013 Gezi Park protests, which began in Taksim Gezi Park and spread nationwide, drawing millions of anti-government demonstrators.
Barım was charged with “aiding an attempt to overthrow the government” due to her support for the protests.
A self-initiated investigation had been launched against Barım, the founder and partner of ID Consultancy Limited Company, following claims in print and visual media alleging her involvement in the Gezi Park protests 12 years ago. She was accused of being one of the organizers behind the demonstrations and was detained on charges of “attempting to overthrow the Republic of Türkiye or prevent it from functioning.” Her home and office were also searched as part of the investigation.
As part of the probe, actors Halit Ergenç, Dolunay Soysert, Rıza Kocaoğlu, Mehmet Günsür, Ceyda Düvenci, and Nejat İşler were also brought to the courthouse under police escort to testify.
Barım was alleged to have brought well-known film and television actors to Gezi Park to support the protests. Additionally, phone conversations from 12 years ago during the protests were cited as a reason for her arrest.