Politics
Czech consul general highlights shared values, growing connections
While giving a tour of the terrace garden she maintains at the Czech Consulate, Olga Hajflerova, paused to admire the Istanbul skyline.
“It’s a privilege to be in this part of the city,” the consul general remarked.
Hajflerova, who recalled her two and a half years of experience in Türkiye with great admiration, said that she appreciates the strengthening ties between the two countries.
She noted that many Czech citizens once viewed Türkiye as a distant holiday destination with a different culture and that Europe and Türkiye have not always been certain how they perceive one another.
However, defining her mission as helping Czechs and Europeans understand that Türkiye and they have much in common, she said, “We are based on the same values, not just interest or needs. We are one people.”
“Our societies may function slightly differently in detail, but fundamentally we are the same,” Hajflerova added, reminding that she gave the same message a year ago in the opinion article she wrote for Daily Sabah.
To promote mutual understanding, Consul General Hajflerova and her team have been actively working in Istanbul.
“If I had a team 10 times bigger here, I would still be very busy because the potential is enormous,” she explained.
Expanding cultural, educational ties
One of Hajflerova’s personal interests is education, as she described the Czech Consulate General as one of Istanbul’s most dynamic in this field, supporting more than 20 student clubs.
She shared her love of meeting with Turkish university students and discussing international affairs, political developments, and diplomatic careers with them.
“In exchange for my experience, I receive their energy and motivation, and I hope it is as meaningful for them as it is for me,” she said.
Apart from the field of education, the Czech Consulate General organizes events to promote cultural exchange.
The next planned event, Hajflerova said, is a photo exhibition by Turkish photographer Izzet Keribar. Opening April 2 at Nişantaşı Işık Gallery, it will showcase Prague and Czechia to Turkish visitors.
Following that, in May, Hajflerova noted the consulate will organize a Czech food festival. As the third edition of the event, the festival will feature special chefs from Czechia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Previously, the consulate hosted several other events, which included an exhibition of Czech crystal artistry at the Basilica Cistern and a photo and documentary exhibition dedicated to the legacy of former Czech President Vaclav Havel.
Hajflerova added that, beyond the success of these events, attracting the Turkish public’s interest in the Czech Republic requires little effort, as Turks are already enthusiastic about the country, especially when it comes to visiting.
Growing co-op across sectors
However, when it comes to visiting the European Union for academic, touristic or business reasons, Turkish citizens have been facing difficulties in obtaining Schengen visas for years.
The EU has argued that the processes managed by accredited visa agencies have been slow due to the high number of applications and that it has been discussing possible solutions with Ankara.
“The general imagination that the EU countries restrict Turkish citizens from coming to Europe is not true,” Hajflerova said, adding that the Czech Consulate has been trying to make the procedure as easy as possible for visitors.
She also emphasized that about 90% of Turkish applicants for Schengen visas to visit Czechia were approved.
According to Türkiye’s Minister of Trade, Ömer Bolat, tourism flows between Türkiye and the Czech Republic are steadily increasing, with approximately 100,000 Turkish citizens traveling to the Czech Republic each year, while the number of Czech visitors to Türkiye has reached about 400,000 annually.
Underlining the significance of connectivity, Hajflerova also highlighted Turkish Airlines and Pegasus having multiple daily direct flights between Türkiye and the Czech Republic.
“I am also very pleased to announce that we are in talks with Pegasus Airlines, and I understand they are eager to expand connections between our countries,” she added.
In December 2025, Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines announced it signed a deal to buy the biggest Czech airline, Smartwings, along with its owner, Czech Airlines (CSA), in a bid to strengthen its presence in Europe and expand globally.
While tourism and civil aviation connectivity are important elements of Türkiye and the Czech Republic’s relations, defense cooperation also has a significant place in the two countries’ bilateral relations.
In February, Türkiye’s defense and electronics giant Aselsan and Czech defense firm Excalibur International, part of the CSG group, signed a strategic cooperation agreement to establish an EU-based joint venture while simultaneously introducing the Korkut air defense system integrated on the Tatra Force 6×6 wheeled platform.
“The partnership aims to expand joint defense capabilities for European and global markets,” stated the Czech firm.
Hajflerova emphasized that, in addition to existing economic, industrial and defense cooperation, many other sectors have potential for growth, including agriculture.
Referring to Czech companies’ participation in Agroexpo International Agriculture and Livestock Exihibition which was organized in İzmir in February, Hajflerova said, “We brought ecological methods of agricultural production to help that production is healthy and sustainable.”
The consul general said that Czech participation in the event drew strong interest not only from Turkish companies but also from firms in the region.
Agroexpo 2026, one of Europe’s four largest agricultural fairs and Türkiye’s largest, hosted 426 participants, 56 of whom were foreign. A total of 110,715 people visited Agroexpo, 12,760 of whom were foreign, from 112 countries.
Türkiye’s Presidency’s Disinformation Combat Center on Thursday denied claims that Syria’s monthly customs regulations were aimed specifically at Turkish exports, calling the allegations misleading, unfounded and aimed at undermining growing ties between the two neighbors.
In a statement shared on social media, the center said the Syrian government’s regulations were not directed solely at Türkiye but applied globally and were adjusted according to seasonal agricultural conditions. It stressed that reports suggesting otherwise distorted official decisions by Syria’s National Import and Export Committee.
The center noted that bilateral trade between Türkiye and Syria rose 24% year-over-year in the January-April period, surpassing $1.35 billion, despite claims of commercial restrictions.
Ankara and Damascus have rapidly expanded cooperation since the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in late 2024. The two countries held their first Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting in Istanbul last month, where officials outlined plans to boost annual bilateral trade from $3.7 billion to $10 billion.
The countries have also intensified diplomatic coordination and discussions on reconstruction, customs modernization, transportation corridors and regional security. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently visited Damascus for talks on rebuilding Syria and strengthening long-term cooperation.
The center urged the public not to trust what it called “black propaganda” targeting relations with neighboring countries.
The Turkish Parliament approved an in-kind grant support agreement with Somalia on Thursday, as lawmakers highlighted Ankara’s expanding economic, security and development partnership with the Horn of Africa nation.
During debates at the Turkish Parliament, lawmakers from across the political spectrum discussed Türkiye’s growing role in Somalia, where Ankara has become a major investor and strategic partner over the past decade.
Cemalettin Kani Torun, a Bursa deputy from the New Path Party, said Turkish exports to Somalia had climbed to $273 million, while direct investments by Turkish companies exceeded $100 million.
“These figures did not come about spontaneously,” Torun said. “These are the fruits of a long-term and multi-actor commitment.”
He rejected accusations that Türkiye’s involvement in Somalia amounted to “guardianship” or colonialism, saying Ankara’s engagement was based on mutual benefit and “win-win” policies.
Torun also stressed the growing geopolitical importance of the Horn of Africa, arguing that Türkiye’s activities in Somalia, from trade to energy exploration, contribute to regional stability and counter outside interference.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) lawmaker Kamil Aydın said instability and piracy around Somalia and the Gulf of Aden had long threatened international shipping routes and maritime trade.
He said Türkiye had taken an active role under international agreements to support peace, security and economic development in Somalia.
“With the mutual trust and cooperation gained, Türkiye has succeeded in taking very important bilateral, regional and global positive steps with Somalia,” Aydın said.
Opposition lawmakers voiced criticism over broader aspects of Ankara’s foreign policy and foreign aid spending. Good Party (IP) lawmaker Ayyüce Türkeş questioned Türkiye’s extensive aid commitments abroad amid domestic economic challenges.
Meanwhile, ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Group Chair Leyla Şahin Usta defended Türkiye’s Africa policy, describing it as rooted in “friendship and brotherhood.”
“Türkiye is in Africa to build and repair,” Usta said, adding that cooperation with Somalia had helped strengthen local ownership and development across the continent.
The bill was approved following parliamentary discussions. Somalia’s ambassador to Ankara, Fathudin Ali Mohamed, also attended the parliamentary session.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Thursday that Türkiye is determined to expand strategic cooperation with Algeria across key sectors including regional security, energy, mining, transportation and agriculture, while warning that Israel’s attacks and regional escalation continue to disrupt global energy markets.
Speaking alongside Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune during a joint news conference in Ankara, Erdoğan said the two countries are strengthening long-term cooperation in energy supply security and advancing their strategic partnership.
Erdoğan recalled that the two leaders last met in Algeria on Nov. 21, 2023, where they elevated bilateral coordination mechanisms and officially launched the Türkiye-Algeria Strategic Cooperation Council.
“We chaired the first meeting of our Strategic Cooperation Council together and made decisions that will further advance our brotherhood,” Erdoğan said.
The Turkish president emphasized that relations between Ankara and Algiers are rooted in “mutual respect and affection stemming from a shared history,” adding that the spirit of solidarity also shapes the two countries’ positions on major international issues.
Describing Algeria as one of Türkiye’s largest trade partners in Africa, Erdoğan said cooperation is expanding in several strategic sectors, particularly energy, mining, transportation and agriculture.
He noted that Türkiye is intensifying efforts to reach the previously announced bilateral trade target of $10 billion.
More than 1,600 Turkish companies currently operate in Algeria with investments exceeding $8 billion in sectors including industry, mining, agriculture, construction, pharmaceuticals and infrastructure, Erdoğan said.
The president also highlighted an Ankara business forum held earlier Thursday, where representatives from the private sectors of both countries discussed new investment and partnership opportunities.
“We will continue working together in the coming period to expand mutual investments and private-sector cooperation,” Erdoğan said.
Addressing regional developments, Erdoğan warned that the conflict triggered by “Israel’s provocations and attacks” continues to negatively affect energy markets.
“The war in our region, which began with Israel’s provocations and schemes, continues to adversely impact energy markets in particular,” he said.
Erdoğan stressed that Türkiye had invested years ago in building “reliable, stable and sustainable partnerships” and is now reinforcing long-term cooperation in energy supply security, especially in natural gas.
He also called for stronger collaboration in renewable energy and emerging technologies, saying both countries should explore new partnership opportunities in those areas.
The head of the Higher Islamic Council and preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Ikrima Sabri, on Thursday praised Türkiye’s efforts to strengthen ties among Muslim nations and commended President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for promoting greater unity across the Islamic world.
“Growing coordination and cooperation among countries in the Islamic world represented a positive development,” Sabri said in a statement.
He said he was pleased with the visits and diplomatic exchanges hosted by Türkiye within the framework of strengthening Islamic rapprochement.
Sabri expressed hope that the efforts “would eventually lead to the formation of an Islamic union similar to existing international and regional blocs.”
“The Islamic nation today is closer than ever to the option of unity and harmony,” he said.
He praised Erdoğan’s role in seeking to deepen relations among Muslim countries and helping them move toward greater independence and prosperity.
Sabri also welcomed the continued exchange of official visits among leaders of Muslim countries, stressing that the issue of Al-Aqsa Mosque should remain central to those meetings and initiatives because it represents “the compass of the Islamic nation and its central cause.”
He specifically praised the current visit of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to Türkiye, saying Algeria and Türkiye are key pillars in supporting the Palestinian cause.
Sabri also welcomed Türkiye’s growing ties with several Muslim countries, including Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, expressing hope that the efforts would contribute to stability and prosperity across the Islamic world.
Earlier Thursday, Erdoğan welcomed Tebboune with a ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara.
The two leaders held talks and co-chaired a meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council between the two countries, followed by the signing of agreements and a news conference.
Relations between Türkiye and Algeria have expanded rapidly in recent years across multiple sectors, driven by a friendship and cooperation agreement signed in 2006 and reinforced since Tebboune took office in December 2019.
Turkish opposition leader Özgür Özel voiced support Thursday for Türkiye’s domestic defense industry projects, including the Kaan fighter jet program, during a visit to the SAHA 2026 International Defense, Aerospace and Space Industry Fair in Istanbul.
Özel, leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), toured exhibition stands featuring some of Türkiye’s flagship defense systems, including the Altay battle tank, Türkiye’s first intercontinental ballistic missile Yıldırımhan and unmanned aerial vehicles such as Akinci and TB3.
Speaking to reporters after the visit, Özel described the event as a major international gathering connecting global defense buyers with Turkish suppliers and manufacturers.
“We are eagerly waiting for the day Kaan flies with its domestically produced engine, and we fully support it,” Özel said, referring to Türkiye’s fifth-generation fighter jet project led by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ).
Özel also stressed the growing importance of air defense systems in light of recent regional conflicts, citing both the Russia-Ukraine war and tensions involving Iran.
“The last few years have taught the world many things,” he said. “They showed us how important air defense systems are.”
The CHP leader said Türkiye needed stronger independent defense capabilities, including advanced naval and missile defense systems, arguing that relying solely on NATO or allied military assets would leave the country vulnerable.
“If you have a steel dome protecting Türkiye from missiles fired from Iran, you sleep comfortably,” he noted. “Otherwise, you wait for NATO to intervene or for American naval assets to provide defense missiles.”
During the visit, Özel boarded the domestically produced Gökbey helicopter, tested an air pistol at one of the stands and drove a space exploration vehicle displayed by a university technology club.
Despite his supportive remarks on Turkish defense, Özel recently drew criticism over comments regarding rocket tests conducted by Turkish manufacturer Roketsan in the northern province of Sinop.
Speaking at an event in Sinop, Özel argued that the company’s missile testing activities should be moved elsewhere, saying the tests negatively affected fishing in the Black Sea city.
“Fish are frightened by the missiles,” Özel said, adding that tourists were disturbed by rockets flying overhead and that the noise caused marine life to abandon nesting areas.
The remarks triggered widespread criticism and ridicule on social media, with accusing the opposition leader of undermining Türkiye’s defense industry at a time of heightened regional tensions.
Turkish authorities detained 32 suspects in two separate operations targeting the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), security officials said Thursday.
In the eastern province of Malatya, police detained 23 suspects in simultaneous raids across 17 provinces as part of an investigation coordinated by the Malatya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The operation was carried out by teams from the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), police intelligence units and counterterrorism officers, the Malatya Police Department said in a statement.
The raids targeted suspects accused of operating within FETÖ’s covert network inside the police force. The operation covered Malatya as well as Adana, Ankara, Batman, Gaziantep, Hatay, Istanbul, Izmir, Kahramanmaraş, Kayseri, Kilis, Konya, Mardin, Ordu, Osmaniye, Şanlıurfa and Trabzon.
In a separate Izmir-based operation, nine suspects were detained in raids targeting the group’s alleged hideouts, police said.
The Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office coordinated the operation, which was carried out by counterterrorism and intelligence police. Authorities said one of the suspects, identified by the initials S.N., was accused of serving as the group’s so-called police handler.
Other suspects were accused of using ByLock, an encrypted messaging app Turkish authorities say was used by FETÖ members, and of maintaining active roles within the group’s hierarchy.
Police said the suspects were found in so-called “gaybubet houses,” hideouts allegedly used by fugitive members of the terrorist group.
Authorities said nine of 10 targeted suspects were detained in the Izmir operation, while efforts continued to capture one fugitive. The detainees were taken to police headquarters for questioning.
Türkiye designates FETÖ as a terrorist group, blaming it for the 2016 failed coup in which 252 people were killed, and 2,734 were wounded.
Ankara also accuses the terrorist group of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
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