Politics
Erdoğan vows no tolerance for corruption in Court of Accounts event
With the allegations of rampant corruption at municipalities run by main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) under the spotlight, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday addressed the members of Court of Account, on the occasion of top inspection body’s 164th anniversary.
“Just as the defense of national will is a debt of honor for us, we fight for our honor by not turning a blind eye to squandering, abuse of public resources,” he told the event in Ankara.
“Recent scandals in local administration that we watched with shame and in shock cannot be excused,” he said, without openly naming CHP. Erdoğan’s statements were remarkably toned down compared to his past scathing critique of the opposition’s descent into corruption, which surfaced with a string of scandals in the past few years.
The president also underlined that the public sector personnel, regardless of their position, should act sensibly while using the state’s resources. “This is our red line,” he stated.
CHP-run municipalities were rocked by corruption probes, mostly focusing on mayors and municipal bureaucrats who allegedly took bribes to fast-track bureaucratic processes or approve illegal construction, and those accused of rigging public tenders.
Erdoğan recalled Türkiye’s modern history, overshadowed by corruption scandals, some linked to CHP and said they still remembered how a social security institution almost went bankrupt, how private and public banks were embezzled. “Along with the greedy and unskilled officials, public finances were dealt the most blow by those loyal to military tutelage. All anti-democratic interventions cost billions of dollars to this country,” he said, recalling the cost of the July 15, 2016 coup attempt by Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) as more than $350 billion. “Our fight against any type of tutelage is also a fight to unburden Türkiye from such financial costs. When we achieve victory, our economic rise will accelerate,” he said.
“It is our debt to the nation to engage in a legal battle against those who loot what the nation entrusted to them. We are responsible toward 86 million citizens who expect their taxes to be converted into the highest-quality service,” Erdoğan added.
The president called the Court of Accounts to contribute to the government’s vision of “Century of Türkiye.” “We need reports from the Court of Accounts, particularly on drafting national strategies. The Court of Accounts has the ability to simultaneously look into affairs of different agencies, assess different processes and methods. I believe the court will continue to function as a great service to the nation and the state with its value-focused approach based on data and system,” he said.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli lashed out at Israel and urged the Muslim world to show solidarity against Israel’s aggression. The leader of the government ally suggested the “Jerusalem Pact” of unity in the Islamic world to stop “rogue Israel.”
Addressing the parliamentary group meeting of his party in Ankara on Tuesday, Bahçeli highlighted persecution in Gaza, Jerusalem and all across the Palestinian territories. “This is a test for the Muslim ummah.” He stated that remaining silent in the face of this test and turning our backs on one another in a state of fragmentation was an indication of a religious, moral and conscientious collapse.
Because a strong unity cannot be secured among Islamic countries, there is a desire to divide, shatter, weaken and ultimately dominate the Islamic geography in line with Zionist goals, Bahçeli stressed.
“How much more suffering will it take to see this plain truth? How many more innocent children will have to be slaughtered, and how many more parents will have to burn and suffer with the pain of losing their children? Once again, I emphatically remind everyone that our proposal for a ‘Jerusalem Pact’ must be taken seriously in order for the Islamic world to stand up, to put an end to the Muslim outcry, and for lasting peace and stability. There is a need for a tighter and stronger regional alliance that encompasses all regional dialogue and cooperation grounds based on Palestine or Jerusalem. The Islamic world must stand up, and Israeli banditry must be put in its place. Palestine must be liberated, the holy lands must attain peace, and the shadow of imperialism cast upon the Islamic geography must be destroyed, never to return,” he said.
The People’s Alliance, which the MHP is part of along with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), is a staunch opponent of Israel’s genocidal actions in Palestine and expansionist policies. Türkiye long labored to mobilize the international community to stop Israel’s acts of aggression, in the face of massive support by the West to the Netanyahu administration and/or inaction in the face of Israel’s barbaric acts leading to the slaughter of tens of thousands of Palestinians since 2023.
Stating that the United Nations is on its “deathbed,” Bahçeli expressed that unions like the European Union and NATO are losing blood by the day. Drawing attention to the fact that the order established after World War II is shaken to its core, Bahçeli emphasized that while the power and sovereignty of the West are weakening, the weight of the East in the world economy and politics is increasing.
“While the search for a new balance in the world has begun, it is certainly possible, and just as essential, for the Islamic geography to stand united and emerge as a new center of power. Türkiye is ready for this. The Turkish nation is in favor of creating a strong unity consisting of the Turkish world and the Islamic world,” he said.
Elite military marksmen of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) are undergoing rigorous training designed to prepare them for operations in some of the most challenging combat environments, military officials said.
Known as the military’s “sharp eyes,” the special mission marksmen are trained to engage targets at distances of up to 2,000 meters after completing a demanding four-month course at the Mountain Commando School and Training Center in Eğirdir, located in Türkiye’s southwestern Isparta province.
The marksmen play a critical role in military operations, carrying out precision engagements while remaining concealed in difficult terrain. Their training includes operating in forests, rocky landscapes, snow-covered areas and other challenging environments where camouflage and stealth are essential.
During exercises trainees blended into their surroundings using specialized camouflage techniques, making them nearly impossible to detect even from close range. The marksmen practiced infiltrating designated target areas, identifying objectives and conducting precision fire before withdrawing without revealing their positions.
A military instructor said trainees are taught to account for a range of environmental factors, including wind speed, altitude, temperature and humidity, all of which can affect long-range accuracy.
“The defining characteristics of a special mission marksman are concealment and precision,” the instructor noted. “Throughout the course, personnel conduct live-fire exercises with different calibers and from various shooting positions under diverse weather and terrain conditions to maximize their marksmanship skills.”
In addition to traditional field exercises, the program includes firing from moving platforms, operations in smoke-filled environments and engagements conducted from boats on Eğirdir Lake.
Officials said the extensive training aims to ensure marksmen can operate effectively in all climate and terrain conditions while supporting military missions requiring long-range precision and reconnaissance capabilities.
The growing extended family of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed a new member, media outlets reported on Monday. Erdoğan’s daughter Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar gave birth to a baby girl during last week’s Qurban Bayram or Eid al-Adha, according to media reports.
Bayraktar is married to Selçuk Bayraktar, chief technology officer of Türkiye’s leading drone maker Baykar. The couple has two more children, Canan Aybüke, who was born in 2017, and Asım Özdemir, who was born in 2024.
With the new member, Erdoğan now has 10 grandchildren. His son Necmettin Bilal, married to Reyyan Uzuner, has three children, while daughter Esra Erdoğan, married to Berat Albayrak, has four children.
Erdoğan and first lady Emine Erdoğan visited their daughter and son-in-law at the hospital, extending their best wishes.
The president is known for his advice to newlywed couples to have “at least three children,” a motto that became more relevant in a country that faces a future demographic crisis due to a decline in fertility rates and rise in the population of the elderly.
Türkiye and the Vatican share largely overlapping views on major international issues, including efforts to secure peace in the Middle East and address global conflicts, Türkiye’s Ambassador to the Vatican Fahrettin Altun said, highlighting growing cooperation.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Altun, who was appointed ambassador to the Vatican by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in March and formally presented his credentials to Pope Leo XIV in April, said relations between the two sides have gained momentum in recent months stressing that Türkiye and the Vatican enjoy a long-standing relationship that has become increasingly important amid rising global instability.
He said Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts to address crises such as the war in Ukraine, tensions involving Iran and the humanitarian situation in Gaza align with Ankara’s broader foreign policy vision of promoting peace, dialogue and a rules-based international order.
“The Vatican is one of the strategic global actors with whom Türkiye seeks to maintain strong and constructive relations,” Altun said, noting that Pope Leo XIV serves not only as head of the Vatican City State but also as the spiritual leader of approximately 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.
He pointed to Pope Leo XIV’s recent visit to Türkiye, his first official foreign trip since assuming the papacy, as evidence of the importance the Vatican attaches to bilateral relations.
According to Altun, the visit created new opportunities for cooperation on regional and global issues and contributed to a positive momentum in relations.
The ambassador remarked that he had the opportunity to hold a productive private meeting with the pope shortly after presenting his credentials, during which they exchanged views on bilateral relations, ongoing wars and conflicts, and challenges facing the international system.
Altun also praised senior Vatican officials for their warm reception and support since his arrival in Rome.
Asked about areas of convergence between Türkiye and the Vatican, Altun said both sides support efforts to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East, protect the status of holy sites and safeguard civilian lives.
He noted that Türkiye’s mediation efforts in the Russia-Ukraine war and the Vatican’s humanitarian initiatives complement one another.
The ambassador added that both Ankara and the Vatican view the rise of disinformation, racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia and anti-Christian sentiment as growing threats that require international attention.
He also noted similarities between Pope Leo XIV’s recent calls for a stronger rules-based international order and President Erdoğan’s long-standing message that “a fairer world is possible.”
“At a time when international law is under pressure and global politics is increasingly shaped by power competition, cooperation between Türkiye and the Vatican can contribute to peace, justice and mutual understanding,” Altun said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday said the government has no involvement in the ongoing political and legal disputes within the main opposition party, urging political actors to focus on issues that concern Türkiye’s future rather than internal rivalries.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdoğan said the ruling alliance, which consists of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), remains focused on serving the nation and building a brighter future for Türkiye.
“None of the discussions within the main opposition party concern us,” Erdoğan said. “We are not, have never been and will never be a party to the political and legal struggle that has moved from convention halls to courtrooms.”
The president stressed that his administration is concentrating on addressing the country’s priorities rather than engaging in political quarrels.
“We are in a race not to trade words with anyone, but to prepare a brighter future for our nation, whose sacred trust we carry,” Erdoğan said.
Warning against attempts to create tension for political gain, Erdoğan said Türkiye’s social fabric does not tolerate violence, street unrest or disregard for the rule of law.
“Regardless of the pretext, we will not allow our streets to be destabilized, our nation to be polarized or our people to be set against our security forces,” he said.
Erdoğan also emphasized that no one has the right to distract Türkiye from its goals or undermine national unity during a sensitive period.
The president argued that the country needs consensus and cooperation on issues affecting all 86 million citizens, particularly the government’s “Terror-Free Türkiye” initiative.
“Türkiye does not need renewed political squabbles. It needs common ground, reconciliation and unity on matters that concern the entire nation, especially our Terror-Free Türkiye process,” Erdoğan said.
He called on political actors to approach the initiative constructively and contribute sincerely to efforts aimed at resolving long-standing security challenges.
Erdoğan added that the government and its alliance would continue to pursue an inclusive and unifying approach while prioritizing the interests of the nation and safeguarding Türkiye’s future above all political considerations.
The CHP has been grappling with internal divisions since former Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu lost the 2023 presidential election to President Erdoğan. Özgür Özel unseated Kılıçdaroğlu at the party’s 2023 congress, but the vote later became the subject of legal challenges over alleged irregularities. A court ruling last month annulled the congress results and reinstated Kılıçdaroğlu as chair, deepening tensions within the party. Rival gatherings held by supporters of Kılıçdaroğlu and Özel during the Eid al-Adha holiday underscored the growing rift as the CHP faces uncertainty ahead of the next general election scheduled for 2028.
Turkish authorities have uncovered an alleged matchmaking network operated by members of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) through the encrypted messaging application Signal, according to findings obtained during ongoing investigations coordinated by prosecutors, police and the National Intelligence Organization (MIT).
Authorities intensified counterterrorism operations to restrict the group’s ability to operate, forcing members to avoid physical contact and shift communications to encrypted digital platforms.
According to the report by Sabah newspaper, technical examinations of seized digital materials revealed that the matchmaking system remained active in January and February 2025.
Investigators found that unmarried members, divorcees or individuals whose spouses had died could apply to designated “matchmaking coordinators” within the group to find potential partners.
According to the findings, priority was reportedly given to individuals with finalized prison sentences, those dismissed from public service or people considered sympathetic to the group.
The system allegedly relied on a referral-based structure designed to maintain operational security. During initial meetings, candidates were said to share details of investigations, court cases and sentences related to FETÖ as a form of “reference”.
Investigators also identified communications concerning former Staff Maj. Hakan Alaçam, who was tried on charges of providing false testimony in a case related to a 2009 landmine explosion in Çukurca that killed seven Turkish soldiers. Messages indicated that efforts were made to find a spouse for Alaçam through the network.
Authorities further determined that dismissed military personnel and other individuals linked to the group were included in the matchmaking process.
Correspondence recovered from Signal reportedly contained discussions about legal proceedings, prison sentences and candidate recommendations involving several suspected members.
The findings are part of broader investigations into the group’s activities and communication networks.
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