Politics
AK Party’s Zorlu says Türkiye, N. Macedonia ties will grow stronger
Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chairperson Kürşad Zorlu said Tuesday that the Turkish people remain closely connected to their compatriots in North Macedonia, emphasizing Ankara’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and supporting Turkish communities in the Balkans.
Speaking during a visit to the village of Dolno Količani near Skopje, Zorlu conveyed greetings from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and highlighted the deep historical and cultural bonds between Türkiye and North Macedonia.
“Under the leadership of our president, the hearts of 86 million citizens are always here with you. Never forget that,” Zorlu told members of the local Turkish community.
The senior AK Party official expressed confidence that relations between Türkiye and North Macedonia would continue to deepen in the coming years through expanded cooperation and stronger people-to-people ties.
Earlier in the day, Zorlu began his visit with a meeting at the Turkish Embassy in Skopje, where he was received by Ambassador Fatih Ulusoy. He also held talks with rectors of universities in North Macedonia and met with Zülfikar Zeynula, leader of the Turkish Democratic Party (TDP).
Zorlu said Türkiye closely follows developments in North Macedonia and shares the excitement of its people whenever news emerges from the country.
“If you feel excited when you hear a Turkish word or watch a television channel from Türkiye, believe me, we feel the same when we hear news from Macedonia, from the descendants of the Ottoman legacy in the Balkans,” he said.
Accompanying Zorlu during the visit were Ahmet Kılıç, head of the Türkiye-North Macedonia Parliamentary Friendship Group and AK Party lawmaker from Bursa, along with AK Party Central Decision and Executive Board members Ahmet Bilal Kıymaz and Mehmet Ali Kurt, and Deputy Head of Relations with Turkic States Temel Akyürek.
Operations based in Istanbul and the southern city of Antalya over allegations of corruption in municipalities run by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) netted 37 suspects on Tuesday.
In Istanbul, police targeted suspects accused of links to a corruption scheme involving the municipality of the Beylikdüzü district and Imamoğlu Inşaat, a construction company owned by the family of former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu. Imamoğlu was jailed last year in a separate corruption probe and faces hundreds of years of prison terms for running a criminal network thriving on bribes. Before his first election to Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s top post, Imamoğlu served as mayor of Beylikdüzü between 2014 and 2019.
The Chief Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul announced that the suspects were accused of involvement in a scheme to hand out construction permits violating regulations to Imamoğlu Inşaat. The suspects were apprehended in operations in Istanbul, the northern city of Giresun and the northwestern city of Bursa.
Prosecutors say the probe stemmed from another investigation into the criminal network led by Ekrem Imamoğlu. Investigators discovered irregularities in the selection of building inspection companies working on the projects by Imamoğlu Inşaat between 2022 and 2023. The said companies approved construction projects despite a series of irregularities. The suspects are accused of forgery of official documents, defrauding public institutions and agencies and “zoning pollution,” an offense related to construction of buildings in areas otherwise closed to construction.
The statement says the construction company acquired about 30% more construction space thanks to the scheme.
Among the detained suspects in the probe is Beylikdüzü’s Deputy Mayor Tuncay Demircan. Other suspects include municipal staff as well as staff of inspection companies and Imamoğlu Inşaat.
The corruption investigation into Imamoğlu was completed with the preparation of a 3,809-page indictment on Nov. 11, 2025.
In the indictment, he is identified as the alleged “leader of a criminal organization” and is accused of several offenses, including establishing an organization for the purpose of committing crimes, bribery, laundering criminal proceeds, fraud against public institutions and organizations, recording personal data, illegally obtaining and disseminating personal data, concealing criminal evidence, obstructing communications, damaging public property, receiving bribes, publicly spreading misleading information, extortion, laundering assets derived from crime, rigging tenders, deliberately polluting the environment, violating the Tax Procedure Law, violating the Forestry Law and violating the Mining Law. Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence ranging from 828 years and two months to 2,352 years for Imamoğlu over 142 alleged acts.
In Antalya, authorities detained 10 suspects in an investigation into corruption at ANSET, a subsidiary of the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality. Suspects are accused of rigging public tenders, bribery and money laundering. They include municipal bureaucrats and the staff of the subsidiary in charge of culture and arts events organized by the municipality. The first operation related to the investigation was conducted in April, and 29 suspects were detained. The investigators say public tenders by ANSET were riddled with irregularities, and suspects intervened in awarding the tenders in exchange for bribes.
Devlet Bahçeli, leader of government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), told reporters on Tuesday that they will continue supporting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and emphasized the importance of the timetable for upcoming presidential elections.
He was answering questions about the possibility of rescheduling the elections in 2028 and calls by the opposition for an early election. President’s chief adviser Mehmet Uçum penned an article on June 15 in which he underlined that the early election should be ruled out, though he noted that under existing regulations and laws, the vote may be rescheduled to April 16 at best, from the planned date of May 7, 2028. Bahçeli said Uçum’s suggestion does not mean that the election would be held early. “As a matter of fact, this is a timely election too. What matters is holding the election in time (regardless of slight variations in the timetable). We see several figures calculating how to compete in elections and when, they try to impose (an early) election on the public. This is not right,” he said. “Our president continues his duty, and we support him,” Bahçeli added, referring to a debate by the opposition on the eligibility of Erdoğan to run again in the 2028 elections.
In his article published by Anadolu Agency (AA), Uçum, also acting chair of the presidency’s legal policies, pointed out that Erdoğan does not need a constitutional amendment for running in the next election and he can invoke “exceptional candidacy” for nomination. “Exceptional candidacy” in the constitution allows the parliament to reschedule the election to an earlier date. He said the approval of at least 360 lawmakers at the parliament are needed to “renew the election” and this will be the last tenure Erdoğan will be eligible. He noted that the election renewable can be discussed in the period between the last quarter of 2027 and first quarter of 2028. He said most appropriate date for a rescheduled election before the scheduled May 7 would be April 16, 2028. “Barring the possibility of implementation of a legal amendment one year prior to general elections, the current election law indicates that first Sunday within the sixty days of implementation of a decision of election renewal will be the election day,” he highlighted. As for the meaning of April 16, Uçum noted that it was a symbolic date, marking the 11th anniversary of a referendum where the public approved the executive presidency system.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was in Moscow on Tuesday. Speaking at a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Fidan defined the U.S.-Iran deal “a valuable diplomatic threshold” to end the regional conflicts. The top diplomat, however, highlighted the possibility of Israel’s attempt to undermine the process.
Fidan stated that he views the agreement reached between the United States and Iran as an extremely valuable diplomatic milestone for breaking the cycle of conflict in the region and welcomed it with satisfaction.
“As our President (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) has also emphasized, our greatest hope is that this step, which has provided relief to our region and the entire world, will evolve not into a temporary calm, but into a structural and lasting security architecture.” “Throughout the sensitive period leading up to the final signatures, it is essential to avoid any rhetoric that could poison the atmosphere of peace, as well as any possible sabotage attempts by Israel aimed at derailing the process,” he said.
Fidan said that he considers the political will demonstrated by the leaders of the United States and Iran to have been very important in achieving this outcome. “We appreciate Pakistan’s mediation efforts and also welcome the support provided by Qatar and Saudi Arabia for diplomatic initiatives.”
He also said that maintaining safe, free and uninterrupted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is essential for regional stability, global energy security and international trade. Fidan said Türkiye hopes the agreement will open the door to a broader regional peace process and pledged that Ankara would continue to support such efforts.
U.S. and Iranian officials are due in Switzerland on Friday to begin detailed negotiations, opening a 60-day window for complex technical talks. These are expected to cover issues such as the future of Iran’s highly enriched uranium and the lifting of sanctions.
European allies have voiced concern that an inexperienced U.S. negotiating team could struggle to secure a robust agreement, potentially leading to a prolonged standoff.
In 2015, former U.S. President Barack Obama secured a nuclear deal with Iran in exchange for sanctions relief, a process that took two years to finalize. Trump withdrew the United States from that accord during his first term.
“This deal is a wall to a nuclear weapon. His (Obama) deal was a road to a nuclear weapon. My deal, they can’t have a nuclear, they get blown up,” Trump said.
Diplomats and analysts note that Iranian negotiators are highly skilled in nuclear diplomacy, often exploiting weaknesses in their counterparts and buying time to advance their agenda, making the prospect of a comprehensive agreement within 60 days challenging.
One key factor in whether the interim accord holds will be the situation in Lebanon, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his troops would remain in the south as long as needed to tackle Hezbollah. Tehran has demanded an Israeli withdrawal.
Trump appeared critical of Israel’s strategy in Lebanon and also suggested that neighboring Syria, which under President Ahmed al-Sharaa is struggling to stabilize the country after years of civil war, could be best placed to intervene.
“I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah because to be honest, I think they do a better job of doing it,” he said.
On the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Fidan expressed concern over its escalation. He said that he told Lavrov at their meeting that attacks threatening maritime security in the Black Sea, which may harm Türkiye’s interests, should be avoided.
In recent months, Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of drone attacks on tankers near Türkiye’s northern coast, including one on a Turkish-owned vessel. Ankara has protested to both Kyiv and Moscow over the attacks.
Fidan said the priority for Turkey, which hosted previous rounds of direct talks between Ukraine and Russia, was for the sides to resume negotiations and end the war as soon as possible. “I conveyed our readiness to host the next rounds of talks once again… If the sides agree, we are ready to also discuss how the negotiations can continue in a more result-oriented way,” he said. “I conveyed to my counterpart our expectation to avoid any incidents that can harm our country’s interests in the Black Sea,” Fidan added, saying he and Lavrov discussed possible ways to ensure navigational safety in the region.
He added that Türkiye also opposed any attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. Kyiv asked Ankara in April to mediate by hosting a leaders’ level meeting. Türkiye, which will host a NATO summit this July, has maintained cordial ties with Moscow and Kyiv since the outbreak of the conflict in 2022.
National Intelligence Academy (MIA) Vice President Hakkı Uygur said Tuesday that Türkiye’s growing intelligence and defense capabilities have elevated the country’s role within NATO and regional security affairs, ahead of next month’s alliance summit in Ankara.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) ahead of the NATO heads of state and government summit scheduled for July 7-8 in the Turkish capital, Uygur said the alliance is undergoing a significant transformation driven by shifting geopolitical realities, particularly following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“This year’s NATO summit will be highly significant,” Uygur said, noting that ongoing debates within the alliance over burden-sharing, European security and Washington’s strategic focus on the Asia-Pacific region have increased Türkiye’s importance within NATO.
“The fact that the summit is being held in Türkiye means that these critical discussions will take place in Türkiye,” he said. “As geopolitical developments become more prominent, countries like Türkiye, which play an influential role in the Caucasus, the Balkans, the Black Sea and the Middle East, inevitably come to the forefront.”
Uygur highlighted Ankara’s recent advances in intelligence and defense technologies, arguing that they have strengthened the country’s position both within the alliance and across its surrounding regions.
“In recent years, Türkiye’s intelligence capacity has developed significantly. Likewise, it has made important strides in the defense industry,” he noted. “All of this has made Türkiye an actor that cannot be ignored, both within the alliance and in regional developments.”
Uygur also underlined that NATO’s continued relevance depends on its ability to adapt to emerging threats and changing security conditions.
“Organizations that fail to keep pace with change and transformation eventually lose their relevance,” he said, adding that NATO has managed to survive beyond its original Cold War mission despite periodic internal disagreements.
According to Uygur, the alliance’s efforts in intelligence sharing, technological cooperation and counterterrorism demonstrate its continued vitality. However, he said recent developments have accelerated NATO’s transformation as member states increasingly share a common perception of security threats.
He argued that some of Türkiye’s national security concerns were not taken seriously by certain allies in previous years. The security environment created by Russia’s war in Ukraine, he said, has led European countries to view Moscow as a direct threat.
“Today NATO is changing and transforming,” Uygur said. “Only in this way can it adapt to new conditions. Otherwise, like many international organizations before it, it risks losing its meaning.”
Ten years after the defeated July 15, 2016 coup attempt, Türkiye is renewing efforts to secure the extradition of fugitive members of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), with authorities updating hundreds of legal files and preparing to present new evidence to foreign governments.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said Ankara has launched a new diplomatic and legal initiative targeting senior figures of the group who remain abroad, emphasizing that extradition requests are being revised in light of newly obtained evidence.
Speaking to Sabah newspaper, Gürlek said Turkish authorities had begun reexamining all existing extradition files and would resubmit updated dossiers to relevant countries.
“We have initiated new efforts regarding the extradition of the group’s leadership,” Gürlek said. “New evidence will be sent again to the relevant countries, and the files are being updated.”
Türkiye designates FETÖ as a terrorist group and holds the group responsible for orchestrating the July 15 coup attempt that killed more than 250 people and injured thousands.
According to Justice Ministry, Turkish judicial authorities have so far prepared 2,950 extradition requests involving 2,765 suspects and submitted them to 119 countries.
The largest number of requests were sent to Germany, the United States and Belgium. Authorities submitted 777 extradition files to Germany, 428 to the United States and 142 to Belgium.
However, many of the requests have either been rejected or remain unresolved. Germany has rejected 519 requests, while 355 cases submitted to the United States are still pending, according to ministry figures.
One of the most significant obstacles remains the position of Interpol. Turkish authorities have repeatedly sought Red Notices for wanted FETÖ members, but none have been approved by Interpol’s General Secretariat.
Turkish officials point to a 2018 decision by Interpol’s Executive Committee, which concluded that requests related to FETÖ could fall under Article 3 of the organization’s constitution, prohibiting intervention in matters considered political in nature.
Foreign governments have frequently cited asylum status, citizenship protections, concerns over alleged political motivations and potential risks of mistreatment as reasons for rejecting extradition requests. Ministry figures show that 1,072 extradition applications have received negative responses.
Only a limited number of extraditions have been completed. Authorities cited two extraditions from Romania and one from Algeria among the cases that resulted in successful returns to Türkiye.
Gürlek said Türkiye expects stronger cooperation from international partners, particularly from Interpol, stressing that Ankara remains one of the organization’s most active contributors both institutionally and operationally.
“Türkiye is among the leading countries providing active support to Interpol’s work,” he said. “Interpol should stand by Türkiye, without hesitation, against elements that threaten our national security.”
The minister said the campaign against FETÖ has increasingly taken on an international dimension as senior figures of the group remain outside Türkiye.
“The group’s leadership is abroad,” Gürlek said. “We have launched a new diplomatic and legal initiative. With newly obtained evidence, we will renew extradition requests. This issue will remain a priority topic in our discussions, particularly with the United States and European countries.”
He also said authorities continue monitoring the group’s recruitment activities and financial networks, describing FETÖ constantly adapts and restructures itself.
Among the individuals sought by Türkiye are several senior figures accused of holding key positions within the group. Turkish authorities have requested the extradition of individuals residing in the United States, including Cevdet Türkyolu, Mustafa Özcan, Ahmet Kara, Şerif Ali Tekalan, İsmail Büyükçelebi and former media executive Ekrem Dumanlı.
Other names sought by Ankara include Ahmet Kurucan and former Kaynak Holding chairman Naci Tosun.
Authorities have also launched extradition proceedings for Murat Yıldız, who is reportedly in Germany and is accused of providing technical support during the reading of the coup declaration on state broadcaster TRT on the night of July 15.
Meanwhile, Türkiye has requested the extradition of several suspects from Belgium and continues efforts to locate other wanted figures believed to be residing in different countries.
As the 10th anniversary of the failed coup approaches, Turkish officials say they remain committed to pursuing fugitive suspects through legal and diplomatic channels, arguing that accountability for the events of July 15 remains a national priority.
Türkiye and Azerbaijan on Monday marked the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Shusha Declaration, elevating their ties to an alliance, an ongoing process highlighted with a string of concrete steps. The two countries have enjoyed warm ties from time immemorial, but their formal alliance was put into the text with the Shusha Declaration signed on June 15, 2021, by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, in the eponymous city of Azerbaijan. Since the declaration that elevated the status of strategic partnership, countries joined forces for cooperation for regional peace, solidarity and development.
The declaration is a testament to the comprehensive cooperation that will be maintained in all strategic fields, particularly national security. It envisions reinforcing partnership in many fields, from the military and defense industry to energy and transportation, from the economy to humanitarian relations. More importantly, the declaration affirmed joint action against threats and attacks against the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and border security of any one of the countries. Political pundits say the declaration is a turning point for reinforcing regional peace, security and cooperation.
It also includes a vision on the Turkic world, the two countries are part of and sets out goals for international promotion of Turkic cultural heritage, joint work on regional and global scale for development of the Turkic world. Erdoğan branded it as a road map in new era of Türkiye-Azerbaijan relations.
Azerbaijan demonstrated its commitment to brotherly relations after the signing of the declaration with solidarity with Türkiye following Feb. 6, 2023 earthquakes in southern Türkiye. Azerbaijan was the first country to extend aid to Türkiye in the aftermath of what Türkiye calls “disaster of century” which killed tens of thousands of people. The amount of aid from Azerbaijan to Türkiye reached to $45 million. Azerbaijan also sent search and rescue crews and healthcare personnel to aid Türkiye and organized an aid campaign. It also allocated financial support amounting to $100 million for recovery of Kahramanmaraş, the province at the epicenter of the earthquake. Today, Kahramanmaraş hosts an entire neighborhood built by Azerbaijan, as well as a school, culture center and a park.
In September 2023, Türkiye announced strong support for Azerbaijan’s operations in Karabakh against Armenian separatists.
The relations were further reinforced with additional agreements and protocols in defense industry cooperation. Two countries launched joint production in the sector. In March 2024, Türkiye’s leading defense firm Baykar signed a joint research, development and production agreement with Azerbaijan’s defense ministry for AI-supported unmanned systems, technical maintenance and logistics coordination. Azerbaijan also plans to acquire fifth-generation KAAN fighter jets manufactured by Türkiye.
Countries also renewed their commitment on energy cooperation. In March 2025, the Iğdır-Nakhchivan natural gas pipeline with a capacity of 2 million cubic meters of natural gas daily was inaugurated.
In terms of connectivity, two countries outlined the future of the Kars-Nakhchivan railroad in August 2025. The railroad is expected to be completed in 2029.
In a message to an international conference held in Shusha on the occasion of the anniversary, President Aliyev said Azerbaijan strived to boost cooperation with various countries in the aftermath of the era where Azerbaijan faced occupation, international threats and injustice. Aliyev underlined that his country pursued decisive policies for lasting peace and stability in its region.
He underlined that strengthening solidarity and cooperation with the Turkic world was essential for international cooperation. “Our family, the Turkic world, is evolving into an influential geopolitical hub in the 21st century,” he stated.
The conference entitled “Regional Contribution to Global Security: Peacebuilding in the South Caucasus” was organized by New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) and hosted officials and experts from several countries, including Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Laos, Moldova, Cambodia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Belarus, China, North Macedonia, Georgia and Serbia.
Speaking at the conference, YAP deputy chair and secretary-general Tahir Budagov described the Shusha Declaration as a document of conceptual and strategic vision for the future that serves to promote peace, stability, security and cooperation in the region. “Azerbaijan-Türkiye relations are upgraded to a new level and now constitute one of the most important pillars of regional security architecture,” Budagov said. He said the declaration was based on the late President Heydar Aliyev’s definition of relations as “one nation, two states.” “It is rational next sequence of revered National Leader Heydar Aliyev’s immortal idea of National Salvation ideology, in the current geopolitical conditions,” Budagov stated. He said peace in the region was strengthened not only through political agreements but also through the implementation of mutual economic interests. “Historical experience indicates that conflict risks de-escalate in the regions with advanced economic integration and the cooperation becomes a guarantee for stability. Future of South Caucasus should be built upon open communication lines, transportation lines, cooperation based on mutual benefit and regional integration,” Budagov also said.
Speaking at the event, Şamil Ayrım, a lawmaker from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) who also chairs Parliament’s Türkiye-Azerbaijan Interparliamentary Committee of Friendship, echoed Budagov’s remarks. “The Shusha Declaration is not merely a document improving relations between two brotherly countries. It is also a strategic road map for lasting peace, security, economic development and regional cooperation in the South Caucasus.”
-
Daily Agenda3 days agoAK Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik’s reaction to AP Akın Gürlek: We reject his targeting of Türkiye with ‘political bigotry’
-
Sports3 days agoKnicks break 53-year NBA title jinx after Brunson sinks 45
-
Daily Agenda3 days agoBREAKING NEWS I President Erdoğan’s call for peace and stability: “We will continue to contribute to permanent solutions”
-
Economy2 days agoLibya inks production-sharing deals with Türkiye’s TPAO, foreign firms
-
Sports3 days agoAustralia’s defense masterclass mars Türkiye’s World Cup return
-
Sports3 days agoFavorites Spain face tiny Cape Verde to kick off World Cup mission
-
Daily Agenda3 days agoMinister Çiftçi addressed the Gendarmerie over the radio: You have an indelible place in the hearts of our nation.
-
Daily Agenda3 days agoCall from Director of Communications Duran to fight disinformation: We need to say ‘stop’ together