News was reported in the press that Murat Kapki, the detained defendant in the IMM corruption case, had recanted his confessions and that the course of the file would change. According to the information obtained from the judicial authorities, the petition submitted by Murat Kapki through his lawyers does not have any decisive legal significance.

EFFECTIVE REGRET PROVISIONS WERE NOT IMPLEMENTED TO KAPKİ

Since the judicial authorities did not consider the statements of Murat Kapki, who testified during the investigation phase, to be sufficient, they did not apply effective repentance provisions against him. It is known that Kapki’s statements do not contain new or original information that will contribute to the progress of the investigation. This being the case, Kapki’s statements were considered to be an attempt to escape detention, and no change was made in his detention.

HIS NECEPHE’S CONFESSION PUT KAPKİ IN DIFFICULTY

On the other hand, Murat Kapki’s nephew Berat Çağrı Kapki, who benefited from effective remorse, clearly stated in his statements to the prosecutor’s office that he was pressured and threatened by Feyza Kapki, his uncle’s wife, and Serkan Balbal, the unofficial manager of the companies, through a lawyer, in order not to testify at the law enforcement stage.

MANIPULATIVE MOVEMENTS

It has been learned that Kapki’s retraction of statements regarding matters previously demonstrated with evidence and confirmed by other statements does not have any significant implications for the file. The fact that the situation in question was presented differently to the public was just manipulative evaluations.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan wrote the introduction of the book titled “Nevruz, the Common Heritage of the Turkish World”.

According to the information obtained by the AA correspondent, the book titled “Nevruz, the Common Heritage of the Turkish World”, edited by AK Party Deputy Chairman and Head of Relations with Turkish States Kürşad Zorlu, will be uploaded to the AK Party’s corporate website.

President Erdoğan, who wrote the introduction of the book, stated that history is not just a chronological account of the passing time or the events that took place in the past, but also the memory of nations, the stem cell of civilizations and an unshakable compass that directs the future.

Erdogan said, “One of the most important elements that makes us who we are, unites us and keeps us alive for centuries is our strong belonging to our roots and common cultural values.”

“The Nevruz Festival, which we have been celebrating with the same enthusiasm and excitement for hundreds of years in our huge geography of hearts that extends from the Adriatic coast to the Great Wall of China, from the steppes of Turkestan to the emerald green mountains of the Balkans, is the most concrete and colorful sign of this belonging. Nevruz is far beyond being a calendar page that heralds the awakening of nature from winter sleep, the resurrection of the soil and the arrival of spring. Aşık Ali from Sivas As Nebi expressed in the lines ‘Grandchildren of Dede Korkut / Celebrate the future / We always consider souls to be friends / Sultan Nevruz, you have come to joy’, Nevruz is the holiday of our nation’s fortitude and brotherhood in the face of difficulties. In our belief and vision of civilization, Nevruz is the day of unity and solidarity, of being big, of being alive and, above all, of being brothers, of 86 million people. It is the common festival of our cultural geography.

Unfortunately, our last two centuries have witnessed great difficulties, suffering and assimilation policies for the Turkish world and the Islamic world. Thank God, we have all left behind that ‘cantor season’, when our intellectuals were tried to be silenced by being thrown into dungeons and exiled, and ancient identities, languages ​​and belief values ​​were banned. We have buried in the dustbin of history the dark and squinting mentality of the single-party era, which considered it a crime to even say “There are Turks” outside Turkey’s borders, and who threw his own compatriots into the fire on the Boraltan Bridge. Today, the torch lit by the late İsmail Gaspiralı by saying ‘Unity in language, thought and work’ has turned into a huge global power under the roof of the Organization of Turkish States.”

“WE ARE HEARTS THAT BEAT WITH THE SAME FEELING”

Emphasizing that, as Turkey, they have determined embracing the Turkish world and cooperation in every field as the main goal of foreign policy, Erdoğan said, “While we reinforce our partnership of destiny in every field from politics to economy, from energy to the construction of the Middle Corridor, with the 2040 Turkish World Vision Document we announced, we are also aware that the real permanent and unshakable bond will be established with education, science, culture and art.” made his assessment.

Reminding that they took a historical step by printing the works of Cengiz Aytmatov and the Oğuznames in the common Turkish alphabet, Erdoğan said, “With our common history, geography and literature curricula, and the valuable efforts and endeavors of our universities in the Turkish world, TÜBA and the Turkish Academy, we are preparing our children for the future with a common history consciousness. We believe that when the bridges of science and thought are firmly established, political and economic bridges will turn into indestructible monuments.” he said.

Pointing out that the will to declare Nevruz Holiday as the “Common Commemoration and Celebration Day” of the entire Turkish world under the umbrella of the Organization of Turkish States, just like October 3, Turkish Cooperation Day, has the aim of institutionalizing this common consciousness, Erdoğan continued as follows:

“Because we are members of a big family that kneaded the souls of Ahmet Yesevi, Yunus Emre, Mahtumkulu Firaki, Ahmet Cevat and Süleyman Çolpan with the same dough and brought them together on the same horizon, with common troubles, common joys and common ideals. Today, we are hearts beating with the same feeling while crying for the oppressed in Gaza and lighting the fire of liberation in Karabakh. This precious thing in your hands is “I observe with great pleasure that the work serves such a sacred and historical goal. I wholeheartedly believe that this book, which was created with the contributions of our valuable scientists from all over the Turkish world, will keep our cultural memory alive, inspire our youth, and be a solid brick of wisdom in the construction of the ‘Turkey Century’ and the ‘Turkish World Century’.”

Congratulating the Presidency of Relations with Turkish States and all the academicians who contributed to the preparation of the work, Erdoğan said, “I hope that it will have a greater impact, and I pray to God that Nevruz, the herald of spring, will bring peace, tranquility and prosperity to all humanity, our country and the Turkish world.” He wished.

THE BOOK CONTAINS 33 ARTICLES WRITTEN BY 36 ACADEMICS

In the book, which includes 33 articles written by 36 academics from home and abroad, the importance of Nevruz in the Turkish world, its historical background, and what kind of commonality it has with its different details are discussed comprehensively.

The book, which is one of the pioneering works on this subject, is expected to be presented to the readers in the coming days.

The Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Numan Kurtulmuş, said about the attacks on Iran: “The war must be ended as soon as possible, the tension in the region must be reduced, and everyone must respect the sovereignty of the countries.” he said.

Numan Kurtulmuş, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (GNAT), attended the Three Seas Initiative Parliamentary Summit hosted by the Croatian Parliament in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, where he paid an official visit.

Within the scope of the summit held at the Zagreb National and University Library, Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic welcomed the parliament presidents and parliamentary representatives attending the summit one by one. The session started after the family photo session. In his speech at the Three Seas Initiative Parliamentary Summit, Kurtulmuş stated that this meeting was of particular importance for them as Türkiye participated as a “strategic partner” for the first time. Stating that connectivity constitutes one of the main priorities for Türkiye, Kurtulmuş underlined that they attach utmost importance to the development of transportation, energy and communication corridors. Stating that they consider the Three Seas Initiative not only as a platform that contributes to the strengthening of connectivity, but also as an inclusive strategic cooperation and consultation basis shaped on the basis of the principle of regional ownership, Kurtulmuş said, “As the riparian country with the longest coastline in the Black Sea, I would like to express that Türkiye is determined to further deepen its relations with the initiative and develop cooperation in a multidimensional way.”

Emphasizing that Türkiye offers ample opportunities to establish connections between different regions of the world, thanks to its geostrategic location and advanced and modern infrastructure, Kurtulmuş continued his speech as follows:

“THE RULES-BASED INTERNATIONAL ORDER HAS SUBJECT TO SERIOUS EROSION IN TERMS OF BOTH LEGITIMACY AND FUNCTION”

Stating that the war against Iran and the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East remind us of how fragile global connectivity is in the face of geopolitical tensions, Kurtulmuş said, “As a matter of fact, we are faced with important regional and international turmoil that will have permanent effects on the future of our continent and the world. It is now clear that the humanitarian disaster in Sudan, the 4-year-old war in Ukraine, the genocide in Gaza and the war between Israel and the USA against Iran are not just a global crisis, but a post-1945 crisis.” It points to a shocking disintegration of the established international order. The current situation reflects a systemic crisis in which lawlessness has become commonplace, power has replaced law, and international mechanisms have become largely ineffective. Institutions continue to exist in form, but their effects remain extremely limited. Although the rules exist on paper, their content is largely empty. “We are witnessing a process in which the international system is undergoing a radical transformation and a polycentric world order is being shaped. In this context, the protection of our values and principles against brute force and arbitrariness necessitates a more effective and result-oriented cooperation between our countries, shaped by a strategic perspective.”

“PERMANENT PEACE IN THE SOUTH CAUCASIA WILL SIGNIFICANTLY STRENGTHEN REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY”

Expressing that security in the Black Sea is of vital importance for the riparian countries, Europe and beyond, Kurtulmuş stated that Russia’s war against Ukraine, which is in its fifth year, is the main threat to the region. Stating that Türkiye has resolutely expressed its unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, including Crimea, since the beginning of the war, Kurtulmuş noted that they, as Turkey, lead the diplomatic efforts to establish a fair and lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia through negotiations, within the framework of international law and the United Nations Charter. Stating that they welcomed the progress made in the Azerbaijan-Armenia talks following the restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, Kurtulmuş said, “Permanent peace to be achieved in the South Caucasus will significantly strengthen regional connectivity.”

ATTACKS OF THE USA AND ISRAEL AGAINST IRAN

Stating that they called for an end to the war waged by the USA and Israel against Iran, which caused serious damage to the civilian population and infrastructure in Iran and the Gulf countries and disrupted maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, Kurtulmuş continued his speech as follows:

“It is not possible for us to remain indifferent to the humanitarian tragedy taking place in the Middle East. Israel’s attacks on Iran and Lebanon and its grave crimes against the Palestinian people not only destabilize the region, but also negatively affect the security, economy and moral standing of Europe. Therefore, we must increase our efforts to defend the territorial integrity of all countries in the region, raise our voice more strongly against the crimes committed against the Palestinian people, and establish an independent Palestinian state within the borders of June 4, 1967, on the basis of a two-state solution.” We must support its establishment.”

Stating that connectivity is not limited to energy, transportation and communication, but also includes the sharing of information, culture and values, Kurtulmuş said, “As a Strategic Partner, I would like to emphasize once again our determination to build corridors of trust, value, prosperity and resilience that connect countries, peoples and continents.”

Kurtulmuş added that the Turkish Grand National Assembly is ready to work in close cooperation with the parliaments of the Three Seas Initiative, strengthen cooperation and introduce the initiative to the public more effectively.

THREE SEAS INITIATIVE

The Three Seas Initiative, which brought together Central and Eastern European countries under the leadership of Poland and Croatia in 2015, aims to promote faster and more balanced development of the region extending between the Black Sea, Baltic and Adriatic seas. The initiative, which aims to achieve a high-level and multi-stakeholder cooperation approach focusing especially on infrastructure, energy and digital connectivity by increasing the connectivity between member states, is built on three main axes: supporting economic development, strengthening transatlantic ties and increasing intra-European harmony. Improving infrastructure connections and eliminating existing deficiencies in the fields of energy, transportation and digitalization are among the main priorities of the international platform. One of its strategic goals is the creation of energy and transportation corridors in the north-south direction, especially in the Baltic-Adriatic-Black Sea line.

One of the prominent projects, the “Via Carpathia” highway corridor, aims to create a north-south connection line starting from Lithuania’s Klaipeda Port, via Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, to Greece’s Thessaloniki Port, and from there to Istanbul.

Turkey gained “Strategic Partner” status during the 10th Summit held in Warsaw on April 29, 2025.

Turkey constitutes an important part of the east-west and north-south transportation corridors with its large-scale infrastructure projects and ports such as Halkalı-Kapıkule, Marmaray, Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway, Istanbul Airport. Türkiye’s important location on the Middle Corridor and Development Path route will allow the Three Seas Initiative route of the Adriatic Sea, Baltic Sea and Black Sea countries to be connected to the Mediterranean, Caspian Sea and Persian Gulf by connecting the Three Seas Initiative route via Istanbul via the Middle Corridor and Development Path, allowing the initiative to access a wide geography covering the five seas and beyond.

AK Party Spokesperson Çelik, in his post on his social media account, reacted to CHP Chairman Özgür Özel’s words towards President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in his speech following his party’s Presidential Candidate Office Executive Board Meeting.

Çelik said:

“Our President’s foreign policy will is the assurance of our nation and state against the chaos the world is in. The whole world is watching with interest and appreciation the inclusive and result-oriented dynamics of our President’s politics. The language that CHP Chairman Özgür Özel uses against our President’s foreign policy will is the language of those who oppose Turkey. Look at the discourse of those who are anti-Turkey in the world press for the last week, you will see that Özgür Özel is voicing exactly the same. While the world is going through big problems, there are people who still cannot understand what is going on in the world and who are in their own party.” “The words of Özgür Özel, who is doomed to internal problems, have no effect.”

Our President’s foreign policy will is the assurance of our nation and state against the chaos the world is in. The whole world follows with interest and appreciation the inclusive and result-oriented dynamics of our President’s politics. CHP Chairman Özgür Özel’s…

— Ömer Çelik (@omerrcelik) March 25, 2026

US President Donald Trump first gave Iran 48 hours and then announced that the attacks would be suspended for 5 days. However, the situation on the field has not changed. Mutual attacks between Israel and Iran continued uninterruptedly. In the report of Associated Press, based on an unnamed US official, it was claimed that USS Boxer and two other amphibious assault ships will be deployed to the Middle East with approximately 2,500 marines. Experts speaking to SABAH evaluated the developments on the subject.

SECURITY EXPERT İBRAHİM KELEŞ:

Immediately after Trump’s statement that “Negotiations will begin”, Netanyahu said challengingly to Trump, “If we cannot achieve the result we want in the negotiations, we will block it.” Even though Trump wants the war to end, it is unclear whether Israel will allow it. Some leading American officials say that the United States was involved in this war by Israel. The world knows this very well. I evaluate that Trump is approaching a ground operation with the provocation of Israel. US amphibious marines stationed in the Sea of ​​Japan headed towards Iran. Although 5 thousand soldiers are mentioned, it is stated that this number is planned to be increased to 100 thousand with other units in the region. However, when the land war begins, conditions become equal. You cannot use your air power as you wish.

SETA FOREIGN POLICY EXPERT ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR. DR. MUHAMMED HÜSEYİN MERCAN:

Developments in the Gulf, energy market pressure and US domestic public opinion seem to put pressure on Trump. When we look at past actions, it is obvious that the USA attacked Iran twice while negotiations were ongoing. Considering this, it is premature to claim that ‘the USA has completely abandoned its plan against Iran’.

CHP Istanbul Provincial Directorate made a splash with the intra-party holiday program it organized recently. The organization, which brought together hundreds of members of the opposition wing, caused discomfort in the headquarters. During the celebration ceremony, the call to ‘purify corruption’ once again came to the fore. Making a statement to SABAH, CHP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Gürsel Tekin said, “Hundreds of people participated in our celebration program. We did not bring anyone by force. If we wanted to, we would have brought thousands of our party members.” Tekin criticized the party management by making important evaluations about the sharp differences of opinion and division in the CHP and said, “In order for the party to be on the right track, you must first solve the problems in your home. The duty of political party managers is not to create problems, but to solve problems. If there are people involved in crime, they must be cleared from the party.”

CRITICISM TO CHP MEDIA

Reacting with harsh words to CHP-supported media organizations and journalists insistently refusing to offer him a microphone, Tekin said, “CHP must stop creating the perception of victimization and face the facts. I criticize the headquarters, their journalists give me the answer. You were the ‘free’ media? They blamed me for filing a criminal complaint against Aziz İhsan Aktaş. Can such a thing happen? I am calling out to the media that sees itself as ‘free’ media through SABAH Newspaper. “Why don’t you hold out a microphone, why are you shy? I have never seen journalists take sides so militantly,” he said.