Politics
Türkiye aims for regional solutions as it brings together Balkan countries
With the Balkan Peace Platform meeting held in Istanbul on Saturday, Türkiye strives to ensure stability in its immediate region, with which it has historical ties.
The Balkans are not only strategic for Türkiye but also a priority area intertwined with cultural and human ties, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday.
“The stability of the Balkans is of great importance primarily for Europe, as well as for the peace and security of neighboring regions,” Fidan told a press conference following the meeting in Istanbul.
Fidan emphasized that the participants agreed to produce “regional solutions for regional problems” at the meeting, stating that they would address issues as they arose.
He noted ongoing discussions to raise awareness and expressed satisfaction with the shared common ground, adding that they decided to meet again every six months, with Istanbul continuing as the platform’s center for now.
The foreign minister also described the inaugural Balkan Peace Platform as an informal format and said there is a consensus to bring leaders together under this framework once progress is made.
Fidan recalled tensions between some Balkan countries but welcomed the fact that “no one wants a hot war or conflict like in the past,” emphasizing a consensus around resolving issues through diplomacy and dialogue.
He noted that while the region often focuses on problems, missing opportunities have negative economic and security consequences.
He highlighted a shared awareness and mental agreement on setting aside certain issues to pursue peaceful cooperation and enhanced connectivity in economic and other areas, calling this consensus the platform’s greatest achievement for the continuation of regional peace.
The meeting hosted the foreign ministers and top officials of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia and Albania. The platform aims to foster dialogue, mutual trust and cooperation among regional countries and to develop lasting solutions to regional issues.
The Balkan Peace Platform has been developed within the framework of Türkiye’s innovative diplomacy understanding and is an initiative that aims to respond to the region’s needs. Türkiye has become a remarkable actor in the Balkans as a natural result of economic growth and foreign policy versatility in the last 20 years. Ankara emphasizes peace, stability and good neighborliness in the Balkans. It offers solutions to the region’s chronic problems, as it believes that addressing expansionist nationalist tendencies and overcoming the issues created by micro-nationalism is only possible through the sovereign equality of states.
In this context, Türkiye is attentive to minorities living within the borders of the Balkan states, not to be discriminated against and to protect the identities of those peoples. Apart from its diplomatic missions, it also provides economic, technical and humanitarian aid to Balkan countries through semi-official institutions such as the Yunus Emre Institutes, the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay), the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
As part of Türkiye’s initiatives in the Balkans, Belgrade and Ankara initiated the trilateral consultation mechanism with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia. Furthermore, Ankara regularly participates in structures such as the Southeast European Cooperation Process, the Regional Cooperation Council, and the Steering Committee of the Peace Implementation Council in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The country also contributes to regional stability through the NATO KFOR and EUFOR Althea movements.
The KFOR started its duty in Kosovo on June 12, 1999, following a U.N. Security Council decision to ensure security and stability. The mission has over 4,500 international military personnel from 27 countries, including 21 NATO members and six non-NATO partner countries. Ankara took command of NATO’s KFOR on Oct. 9, 2023, the first time it has done so. Among 27 NATO member countries and partners, Türkiye has the second-largest contingent in the KFOR, contributing at least 780 of its approximately 4,500 soldiers. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and was recognized by many countries, including Türkiye. However, Belgrade has never recognized Kosovo and claims it remains part of Serbia. Türkiye maintains good relations with both Kosovo and Serbia.
Noting that the initiative to convene the Balkan Peace Platform came at the directive of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Fidan said regional leaders showed strong interest in the proposal.
Highlighting the Balkans as a strategic crossroads connecting Europe, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, Fidan emphasized the region’s historical significance in political, economic and security matters.
He also emphasized that bilateral cooperation with regional countries is evolving on multiple levels, with high-level contacts continually expanding into new areas.
“We believe that stability in the Balkans will become permanent primarily through strengthened cooperation and dialogue among regional countries. This approach is based on the principle of regional ownership,” he said.
He stated that the Balkan Peace Platform represents a new step in regional ownership, aiming to establish a practical and effective structure that fosters honest dialogue and regular communication among all parties.
The foreign minister expressed their aim to create a foundation where the term Balkans is associated not with division and fragmentation, but with cooperation and solidarity, striving to contribute to the prosperity and peace of both the region and its neighbors.
“We aim to support existing mechanisms rather than replace any process. We offer a framework that supports the efforts of the international community, particularly the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue process,” Fidan said, adding that participants had come together today to find solutions to Balkan issues and develop concrete projects.
“We cannot leave our future to chance or the hands of others,” Fidan said, adding that they discussed regional issues with participants, emphasizing that establishing stability and prosperity across the Balkans is a top priority.
“We exchanged views on various topics, including political developments, energy security, strengthening connectivity, regional cooperation and capacity-building opportunities. We also evaluated the future of the Balkan Peace Platform, aiming for it to serve as a complementary format to existing initiatives in the region,” he said.
The foreign minister highlighted a shared commitment to hold regular meetings and prioritize projects that will concretely advance regional cooperation.
He also stressed that in today’s global crises and rising uncertainties, joint solutions are essential, emphasizing the urgent need to strengthen regional dialogue and noting that decisions about their region must be made collectively.
Fidan expressed hope that the Balkan Peace Platform will serve this purpose, adding that the initiative was launched with a joint effort to build a Balkans that collaborates and embraces its diversity as a strength.
EU accession
On the concrete decisions made during today’s talks, Fidan recalled that six of the seven participating countries are EU membership candidates and said, “One of our common agenda items was how we can share experiences within the EU accession process,” focusing on coordinated positions and raising regional awareness in Brussels.
Fidan said the Balkan Peace Platform offers a valuable forum for discussing shared experiences on EU visa and customs union policies, regional challenges tied to EU accession, and mutual awareness of sensitivities between the EU and the Balkans.
“Historically, geographically and culturally, these countries are a continuation of one another,” Fidan said. Stressing the importance of joint action, he added that regional nations agreed to enhance cooperation in trade, economy, politics and defense based on their mutual interdependence.
He noted that the EU is developing two projects funded by special funds – the European Security Action (SAFE) and Rearm Europe (European rearmament plan) – that grant specific rights to member states and have different provisions concerning candidate countries.
He added that a joint decision was made to collaborate on issues concerning candidate countries.
Fidan emphasized the need for defense industry cooperation beyond SAFE and Rearm Europe, highlighting the different capacities among countries, noting that this topic was also on the agenda.
Interest in the Balkans
Fidan highlighted the growing interest of Turkish tourists in Balkan countries, especially among young people, emphasizing the importance of mutual understanding through education and observation.
He noted that Turkish tourists rank first in visitor numbers across six Balkan countries, with tours to cities like Belgrade, Pristina, Skopje and Tirana becoming increasingly popular.
He added that these countries welcome this trend, while Istanbul and other parts of Türkiye also remain major attractions for tourism and business, emphasizing the need to develop further and better assess these connections.
Russia-Ukraine
Fidan underlined that one key agenda of the Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul is bringing the leaders together.
He recalled that Russia and Ukraine expressed their willingness to meet in Istanbul under Türkiye’s hosting, but noted that ongoing negotiations continue over the timing and conditions of the meeting. “As negotiators, we are making efforts to find a middle ground between Ukraine and Russia’s differing positions.”
He pointed out increasing agreements on prisoner exchanges and humanitarian efforts, saying: “Both sides are showing goodwill and effort to implement this, which greatly pleases our president and us.”
Fidan highlighted U.S. President Donald Trump’s interest in the cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine, adding: “Our president wants to accelerate this process.
He is a firm believer in leaders’ diplomacy, believing that certain deadlocks between negotiating teams can be resolved through a leaders’ meeting. “We may take initiative to make this possible,” he added.
The foreign minister said that both the Russian and Ukrainian leaders are willing to meet, but there is a disagreement over the conditions for such a meeting.
He said the disagreement is not over whether the leaders should meet, but rather over the conditions, timing and agenda of the meeting, stressing that progress must first be made at the delegation level.
Fidan expressed hope that, once the groundwork is laid, a trilateral meeting hosted by Erdoğan in Istanbul could take place in the near future.
Damaged vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla are being repaired in Türkiye’s Antalya after an Israeli attack in international waters, with volunteers working to prepare the ships for another voyage toward Gaza.
Some of the vessels were left with damaged engines, broken masts and torn sails after the attack. They were later brought to Antalya, where local and international volunteers are carrying out repairs at a shipyard.
Two vessels have already been repaired and sent to Italy as part of preparations for another Gaza-bound mission, said Sümeyra Akdeniz Ordu, a board member of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
“We are trying to recover the ships drifting at sea one by one. We are carrying out a rescue mission,” Ordu told Anadolu Agency (AA). “We are repairing these ships so they can sail to Gaza again.”
Fourteen flotilla vessels are currently in Antalya, Ordu said, adding that volunteers from different countries were helping coordinate and repair the ships.
She said each vessel had a special significance for the activists and that they were treating the ships “like their own children” as they worked to restore them.
The damage was extensive, Ordu said, describing broken masts, damaged engines and cut hoses. She also said the sails had been torn with knives.
“The mast was broken, surface cleaner and coffee had been poured into the engines, and the hoses on each ship had been cut one by one,” she said. “They caused this damage by ramming them with larger ships.”
The repairs have been difficult because of the extent of the damage, but volunteers have continued working, Ordu said.
Türkiye has provided a safe port for the repair effort, she added.
Ordu said the activists remained determined to continue their efforts despite the damage to the vessels.
“If the enemy does not give up, we cannot give up,” she said. “We are trying to be a voice here for our Palestinian friends.”
She said the damage to the vessels showed what she described as the violence and hostility directed at the flotilla.
“We, too, insist on continuing every form of resistance,” Ordu said.
Türkiye condemned a drone attack on a power distribution station in the Saudi city of Medina that supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, reiterating its support for Saudi Arabia amid renewed regional tensions.
Ömer Çelik, spokesperson for Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), condemned the attack on Friday, saying targeting infrastructure serving the Prophet’s Mosque was unacceptable.
“Attacks targeting our sacred values are illegitimate acts directed against all Muslims,” Çelik said in a social media post, adding that Türkiye strongly supported Saudi Arabia’s security and stability.
The targeted facility supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second-holiest site. The attack put one transformer out of service but did not affect the electricity network.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry also strongly condemned the attack, saying strikes targeting civilian infrastructure and threatening Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and security should “cease immediately and unconditionally.”
The ministry reiterated Türkiye’s support for Saudi Arabia and called on parties to avoid steps that could further escalate tensions in the region.
“We reaffirm our strong support for Saudi Arabia and emphasize the need to avoid any steps that would further escalate tensions in the region,” the statement said.
Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran on Friday separately condemned the strike and said Türkiye would continue to stand by Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi-led coalition said an investigation and examination of drone wreckage indicated Houthi involvement in the Sept. 29 attack.
Coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki Al Maliki said the targeted facility supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, one of Islam’s holiest sites.
Saudi Arabia said two weeks ago it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered restricted airspace over the Muslim holy city. The coalition described that incident as the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca since 2017.
Earlier on Thursday, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, also condemned the attack on Medina.
The OIC described the targeting of vital infrastructure and facilities as “a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of the sanctity of holy sites,” as well as international and humanitarian laws and norms.
Bashiqa-Zilkan, a key Turkish base in Iraq, will soon be handed over to Iraqi authorities while Turkish troops are expected to withdraw from the country. The development, which comes amid the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country, which remained there as part of an anti-Daesh coalition, signals the start of a new era for Iraq and Türkiye. The Ministry of National Defense said in a statement on Thursday that the handover of the base did not mean an end to cooperation with Iraq and, on the contrary, Türkiye would continue supporting Iraq’s security and stability.
Türkiye and Iraq agreed earlier this month to deepen security cooperation, restore full Iraqi state authority in Sinjar and begin the gradual handover of the Bashiqa-Zilkan military base to Baghdad under an agreed timetable.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced the steps in a joint statement following talks in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
The ministry said Türkiye welcomed steps to ensure state authority in Sinjar. The base was set up in 2015 to help Iraq fight against Daesh and later maintained its presence when the terrorist group PKK sought to replace Daesh following the liberation of Sinjar.
“These steps will contribute to normalization of the region, establishing an environment of security and stability and a terror-free region,” the ministry said, using an expression referring to Ankara’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, which aims to disarm the PKK.
The statement also said it was decided to gradually hand over the compound to the central government in Baghdad, “based on improvement of security in Sinjar.”
“Our country, as it did in the past, stands with our neighbor Iraq in terms of maintaining an environment of security and stability. Throughout future contacts, we are planning to take steps that will further advance military and security cooperation. We will continue supporting Iraq’s armed forces in increasing military capacity, sharing know-how in counterterrorism and in the fields of military training and defense industry cooperation, based on bilateral agreements,” the ministry stated.
Ayhan Sarı, an assistant professor at the Turkish-German University and a security and foreign policy expert at the Turkish Research Foundation (TAV), noted that Türkiye’s withdrawal was linked to ending the PKK’s presence in Sinjar and the re-establishment of Baghdad’s authority there.
Sarı told Daily Sabah that Türkiye has been in Iraq as an exercise of its right to self-defense under international law, particularly Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which recognizes the right to individual and collective self-defense against armed attacks. “Türkiye’s presence in Iraq has been due to the PKK threat in the north. (The dissolution) of the PKK will remove the need to remain in Iraq,” Sarı said.
He noted that the PKK and other terrorist groups had, for years, filled the power vacuum that emerged in Iraq’s northern region following the beginning of the Iraq War.
“Iraq’s central government claims it can find a solution to this vacuum through recent steps and establish full authority within its borders after the U.S. withdrawal,” Sarı said.
A U.S.-led coalition deployed in Iraq more than a decade ago against Daesh formally concluded its mission on Wednesday. Daesh was largely expelled from Iraq and Syria, also thanks to Türkiye’s cross-border operations in Assad-era Syria, but U.S. forces remained. Washington and Baghdad reached an agreement two years ago to wind down the mission.
Sarı said it was only natural that Türkiye was supportive of Iraq’s steps to ensure security on its own, since Ankara was committed to developing good relations with its neighbors and centered its foreign policy on peace and stability.
“As it did in Syria, Türkiye sides with central authority, stability and security in Iraq. Türkiye will support this move and will do whatever it can to ensure that this mission succeeds in maintaining stability and security, based on its neighborly relations,” he said.
Sarı added that Iraq’s efforts were compatible with Türkiye’s foreign policy and plans. “Iraq’s success will also mean the complete expulsion of the PKK from that country. This expulsion, removal of this malignant tumor between Türkiye and Iraq, will certainly add momentum to Turkish-Iraqi relations,” he also stated.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new legislative year at the Turkish Parliament on Thursday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hailed a law passed by Parliament on terror-free Türkiye, which involves the disarmament of the terrorist group PKK.
“Consensus on a terror-free Türkiye has upset the country’s foes. (Terror-free Türkiye) is already having a deterrent effect on Türkiye’s foes and is empowering the country,” Erdoğan said.
The president also urged other political parties to strengthen the “home front” amid regional tensions and reach a “grand Türkiye consensus.”
The Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration was approved by Parliament in August following months of political consultations over the government’s terror-free Türkiye initiative. The 12-article legislation received broad parliamentary backing, with 468 lawmakers voting in favor, 88 against and six abstaining. It mainly involves deferral of sentences and prosecution, as part of the initiative that paved the way for the dissolution of the PKK.
For decades, the PKK remained the main security threat for Türkiye, and its violent campaign is blamed for the deaths of thousands of people and immense economic losses, especially in southeastern Türkiye. Apart from small nationalist parties, almost all political parties openly supported the initiative, something rare in polarized Turkish politics.
“The era of opposition solely based on opposing what the government did is over. It is a grave mistake to reduce politics to antagonizing the rivals, to a war of attrition, instead of making it a race in offering the best public services. Regional and global developments require us to pursue a new style of politics,” Erdoğan told Parliament amid constant applause from lawmakers from his Justice and Development Party (AK Party). The main opposition New Party (YP) left Parliament’s general assembly hall as Erdoğan took the floor.
“We have two options now: We will either continue with the old way of politics focusing on polarization, or we will build new politics based on finding common ground, finding consensus amid competition,” he said.
“If we are meant to make Türkiye great and strong again, if we are meant to utilize historic opportunities, we have to adapt to this paradigm shift altogether and without losing more time,” he said.
The president said they did not expect all political parties to fully align or have the same opinion.
“Different views are certainly the wealth of Türkiye, Turkish democracy. But all political parties should prioritize Türkiye. Every party should draw power from its own dynamics, its grassroots, to carry out ‘Türkiye-oriented politics,'” Erdoğan said.
“Reconciliation and tolerance should replace conflict and polarization. We have to find common ground on matters essential for every member of our nation. This is what we call the ‘grand Türkiye consensus,'” Erdoğan added.
New constitution
The president also focused on drafting a new constitution. “The goal of a new and civilian constitution is a struggle for Turkish democracy to prove its maturity. Our esteemed Parliament is competent and authorized to draft a constitution under all circumstances and in every period. A new constitution that will broaden Türkiye’s horizons will be the product not of a politics of polarization, but of a new politics based on competition within consensus. Our nation’s longing for a new constitution must not be held hostage by manufactured fears. Our position regarding the first four articles of the Constitution currently in force is clear. Rolling up our sleeves for a new and civilian constitution worthy of the ‘Century of Türkiye’ is a genuine test of sincerity for everyone. I hope the current legislative year will be a year of constitutional reform that expands Türkiye’s opportunities and potential,” he said.
Since the founding of the Republic of Türkiye, constitutional design has served as the backbone of the country’s legal system. The current Constitution, adopted in 1982, has been repeatedly amended over the decades, most notably in 2017, when a national referendum paved the way for the country’s transition from a parliamentary model to an executive presidential system.
Despite numerous amendments over the decades, replacing the 1982 Constitution with a new, civilian-drafted charter remains a prominent issue in Türkiye’s political debate.
Erdoğan and Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş have repeatedly advocated for a new civilian constitution, arguing that the existing charter retains the legacy of military rule under which it was drafted despite extensive subsequent amendments.
Türkiye condemned Thursday a drone attack by Houthis on a power station in the Muslim holy city of Medina, reaffirming its support for Saudi Arabia.
The targeted facility supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second-holiest site. The attack put one transformer out of service but did not affect the electricity network.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said on Thursday that an investigation and examination of drone wreckage confirmed Houthi involvement in planning and carrying out Tuesday’s attack.
“We strongly condemn the Houthis’ attack on civilian infrastructure serving the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“These provocative attacks, which threaten Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and security and target the sacred values of the Islamic world, must cease immediately and unconditionally,” it said.
Saudi Arabia said two weeks ago it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered restricted airspace over the Muslim holy city. The coalition described that incident as the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca since 2017.
The Foreign Ministry emphasized the need to avoid any steps that would further escalate tensions.
“We reaffirm our strong support for Saudi Arabia and emphasize the need to avoid any steps that would further escalate tensions in the region,” the statement said.
Earlier Thursday, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, also condemned the attack on Medina.
The OIC described the targeting of vital infrastructure and facilities as “a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of the sanctity of holy sites,” as well as international and humanitarian laws and norms.
The organization affirmed its full solidarity with Saudi Arabia in measures taken to protect its territory, security and stability, defend Islamic holy sites and safeguard citizens and residents.
The UAE Foreign Ministry said the drone attack constituted “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia and a threat to its security and stability.”
The Saudi-led coalition said the Medina attack was part of what it described as repeated Houthi attempts to target the Two Holy Mosques and “provoke” Muslims worldwide. It said it would continue taking measures to protect the holy sites and pilgrims.
Houthis denied the accusation.
The latest escalation is the most serious fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-aligned Houthis since a U.N.-brokered truce largely halted cross-border attacks in 2022. Hostilities resumed this year after the Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in July and began attacking Saudi territory and shipping, while Houthi forces also made major territorial gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
Saudi Arabia has responded with airstrikes in Yemen and backed government forces fighting to push back the Houthis.
Turkish authorities detained Eyüpsultan Mayor Mithat Bülent Özmen and 27 other suspects earlier Friday as part of a corruption investigation involving the Istanbul district municipality, prosecutors said.
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said detention orders were issued for 28 suspects over allegations including membership in a criminal organization, receiving and giving bribes and bid rigging.
All 28 suspects were detained in simultaneous operations carried out by financial crimes police, according to the prosecutor’s office. Authorities also conducted searches and seizures at addresses linked to the suspects and searched the Republican People’s Party (CHP)-run Eyüpsultan Municipality building.
Prosecutors said the investigation was being conducted in coordination with the Ankara Police Department’s Financial Crimes Investigation Branch.
“The investigation continues in a comprehensive and meticulous manner,” the prosecutor’s office said.
Özmen, who serves as mayor of Istanbul’s Eyüpsultan district, was among those taken into custody.
The detentions are part of an ongoing investigation, and no court has ruled on the allegations against the suspects.
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