Politics
Main opposition leader threatens attack on Türkiye’s A Haber
Özgür Özel is no stranger to inciting riots, but this time he took it too far, threatening Daily Sabah’s sister company, broadcaster A Haber.
The leader of the main opposition New Party (YP) hurled insults and threats at the broadcaster, which is noted for its extensive coverage of corruption in municipalities run by mayors picked by Özel while he was the chair of the Republican People’s Party (CHP).
“You won’t be able to broadcast fake news if we call upon people to streets,” a bitter Özel told a crowd gathered outside the headquarters of YP’s mouthpiece, broadcaster Halk TV, on Wednesday evening in Istanbul.
The uncompromising Özel was harsh toward A Haber in the past during his tenure as CHP leader due to its coverage. However, it is the first blatant call by the politician to incite pro-YP groups against the broadcaster, which came under attack in 2016, during a coup attempt by the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), by putschist soldiers seeking to storm its headquarters in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district.
Eyyüp Kadir Inan, secretary-general of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), stood with A Haber and denounced Özel’s remarks. He said Özel lost his political prestige and “cannot fix it by threatening A Haber.” İnan said in a social media post on Wednesday that Özel has to clarify what he meant by saying A Haber would not be able to cover so-called fake news.
“Let us hear what you mean; let’s see whether you have the courage to stand by those words,” Inan said. Özel was also behind the 2025 riots in Istanbul, where he incited young supporters to take to the streets to protest the arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu on charges of corruption.
The Turkish Press Federation (TÜBAF) released a statement on Thursday, condemning Özel’s statement. The federation said it was unacceptable that Özel painted a target on A Haber’s back, saying that the broadcaster had press freedom.
“No media outlet should be targeted for its broadcast journalism. The criticism is natural in democratic societies, but the delicate line between criticism and pointing at a media outlet as a target (to supporters) should be preserved. We believe that the political actors should maintain more responsible language in their remarks towards the press. We cannot accept the targeting of A Haber or any other broadcaster, newspaper, news agency and digital media outlet. The protection of press freedom is a joint responsibility for all. We call upon Mr. Özel to revise his stand, return from his erring ways and apologize to A Haber,” the federation said.
Commenting on the matter, Mehmet Karataş, chief of Special News at A Haber, said Özel’s remarks reflected a mindset. “This is the only straw they have, and actually we are not surprised,” Karataş told the broadcaster on Wednesday.
“We are accustomed to threats, but we are not to be intimidated. You can go out on the street or elsewhere, but we will continue our coverage,” Karataş said.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s two-day visit to Türkiye officially began on Thursday.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave a warm welcome to the premier at the Presidential Complex as the two men eye starting a new chapter between their distant countries.
Erdoğan and Carney were scheduled to sign a series of deals in various fields later on Thursday.
This is the first bilateral visit by a Canadian prime minister to Türkiye, though Carney is no stranger to Ankara. He traveled in July to attend the NATO summit of heads of state and government. After talks in Ankara, Carney will leave for commercial hub Istanbul to attend business events as the two countries seek to deepen trade ties.
The Canadian prime minister has sought to diversify partnerships and reduce reliance on the United States amid an escalating trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump, marked by U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, retaliatory measures by Canada and statements questioning Canadian sovereignty.
In an interview with Anadolu Agency (AA) earlier this week, Canada’s Ambassador to Türkiye Marcel Lebleu said this week that the visit’s main purpose was to “launch a strategic partnership through a joint declaration by the two leaders.”
Talks would focus on cooperation in energy, nuclear plants, sustainable mining and the defense industry.
The two countries would also hold negotiations on a free trade agreement, he said.
Türkiye is looking to build a second nuclear power plant on the Black Sea coast, in addition to one currently being built by Russia’s Rosatom on the Mediterranean coast.
In a sign of improving ties, Canada lifted its ban on the export of weapons to Türkiye in 2024. It had imposed the restrictions following Türkiye’s military operations into Syria and over Türkiye’s support for Azerbaijan in the war for liberation of Azerbaijani lands occupied by Armenian separatists, including providing equipment that used Canadian-made parts.
A statement from Carney’s office said two-way trade between Türkiye and Canada increased by 50% in the past five years. It said that during the visit, Carney will emphasize opportunities “to expand that growing trade relationship in priority sectors, including energy, aerospace, advanced technologies, and mining and critical minerals.”
Although trade between Canada and Türkiye is tiny (Türkiye accounted for less than 0.3% of Canada’s total merchandise trade or CA$4.34 billion ($3.09 billion)), bilateral trade has risen by nearly 50% in the past five years.
“This trip is part of the geopolitical necessity of signaling to Americans that we are not sitting around waiting for them,” said Bessma Momani, professor of political science at the University of Waterloo.
In the last year, Canada has signed more than 20 trade deals as part of Carney’s push to double non-U.S. exports in the next decade. He flew to Beijing in January to reset fractured relations with China, striking a deal that slashed tariffs on electric vehicles and canola.
Despite criticism that China is a security risk, given Canadian authorities previously found China had interfered in at least two federal elections, Carney has described China as a “more predictable” trading partner than the U.S.
However, Canada still sends nearly 70% of exports to the U.S.
At the NATO leaders’ summit, Carney and Erdoğan launched negotiations for a free-trade agreement, where Türkiye also agreed to join Canada’s Defence, Security and Resilience Bank as a founding member.
Türkiye has held talks with Canadian engineering firm AtkinsRealis as well as South Korea’s Korea Electric Power Corporation and China’s State Power Investment Corporation about potentially building its planned second and third nuclear power plants.
Canada mainly exports lentils, optical devices, aerospace products and electronics to Türkiye while Türkiye mostly exports iron and steel, machinery, fruits and dried fruits to Canada.
Izmir Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay praised President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as one of Türkiye’s most influential political figures, highlighting his leadership and contributions to the country while explaining the circumstances behind his political shift.
Speaking during a visit to the Izmir Union of Chambers of Tradesmen and Craftsmen, Tugay said his recent political decisions were driven by his responsibility to address the city’s longstanding problems and deliver better public services.
Tugay acknowledged public curiosity about his political transformation but insisted that his personal values and commitment to serving Izmir remained unchanged.
“The Cemil Tugay you know has not changed in any way, nor will he,” he said.
Tugay has recently resigned from the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and joined the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on Oct. 7. His switch marks a major turning point for the opposition, which lost a large number of mayors to the AK Party since the 2024 election. This will be the first time the AK Party will run the municipality of Izmir.
Tugay further explained that political developments had increasingly complicated his ability to fulfill his responsibilities, eventually forcing him to reconsider his political direction.
He said his recent meetings with Erdoğan had given him an opportunity to better understand the president’s interest in Izmir.
“I consider our president one of the strongest, most experienced and most valuable politicians Türkiye has produced, particularly someone who has left his mark on the past 25 years.”
Tugay credited Erdoğan’s political achievements to his determination, intelligence and leadership abilities.
“I am certain that even 100 or 200 years from now, he will be remembered for the good things he has done and the services he has provided to this country,” he added.
Describing Erdoğan as hardworking, idealistic and compassionate, Tugay said direct engagement with the president had strengthened his appreciation of his leadership.
Turning to municipal services, Tugay announced plans to introduce a significant reduction in water tariffs, with a proposal expected to be submitted to the metropolitan municipal council.
He also pledged to avoid increasing public transportation fares next year and explore additional discounts to ease residents’ financial burdens.
Türkiye’s Defense Ministry on Thursday rejected criticism from Greece and the European Union over its maritime boundary agreement with Libya, insisting that objections from third parties cannot undermine the deal’s legal validity.
The ministry welcomed the Libyan House of Representatives’ ratification of the 2019 maritime delimitation agreement on Oct. 20, describing the move as a reaffirmation of the two countries’ sovereign rights and strategic cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“The delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas falls within the sovereign rights of the coastal states concerned, and unilateral assessments by third parties cannot invalidate the legal status of the memorandum of understanding,” the ministry underlined.
The remarks came during the ministry’s weekly press briefing in Ankara, where the International Best Military Drone Team Competition (BIMDTC-2026) is being held.
The agreement, signed in 2019, was concluded in accordance with international law and principles of equity, taking into account the legitimate rights and interests of both countries, according to the ministry.
“The decision confirms the validity of the memorandum signed on the basis of international law and equity and strengthens strategic cooperation between the two countries,” the ministry noted, referring to Libya’s ratification.
Türkiye would continue protecting its rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean while contributing to regional peace, security and stability, it added.
Athens on Wednesday rejected the agreement, arguing that it disregards the maritime rights of Greek islands and violates international maritime law, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen criticized the ratification, expressing solidarity with Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration.
Defense Ministry spokesperson Rear Adm. Zeki Aktürk also welcomed the ratification, thanking Libyan officials for their role in approving the agreement.
He emphasized Ankara’s support for a unified Libya, saying the maritime deal contributes to protecting both countries’ interests while reinforcing efforts to bring eastern and western Libya together under a shared political future.
“We support the goal of a single and unified Libya that brings the country’s east and west together around a common future,” Aktürk said.
4-nation defense cooperation
The ministry also highlighted the signing of the Badr Memorandum of Understanding between Türkiye, Qatar, Indonesia and Pakistan in Doha on Oct. 21.
The “Badr Memorandum of Understanding” is aimed at expanding defense cooperation and strengthening the four countries’ defensive capabilities. It will also support military exercises and training and cooperation on research and development (R&D) and contribute to joint efforts to improve their defense industries.
Aktürk said the agreement would build on their complementary military capabilities, experience and mutual interests.
The ministry also referred to the Mecca Joint Defense Alliance as another example of Türkiye’s expanding strategic cooperation between the three Muslim states, bringing together oil-rich Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan as well as Türkiye, which has NATO’s second-largest army.
Counterterrorism, military drills
Turning to counterterrorism operations and border security, Aktürk said four more PKK terrorists had surrendered over the past week.
Turkish security forces apprehended 364 people attempting to cross the country’s borders illegally and prevented another 2,047 from entering during the same period. Since Jan. 1, authorities have apprehended 14,207 people attempting illegal border crossings and prevented 56,898 others, according to the ministry.
Aktürk also outlined ongoing military exercises, including NATO’s Bold Adra exercise in Bulgaria, Mare Aperto in Italy and the Sarmis commando exercise in Romania.
Türkiye is simultaneously conducting electronic warfare training in Konya and joint command-post exercises with Uzbekistan.
The Distinguished Observer Day of the National Unmanned Maritime Systems-2026 (TURNAs) exercise is scheduled for Oct. 25 in Antalya, while the National Anatolian Phoenix exercise is planned for Oct. 26-Nov. 6 in Konya.
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Tufan Erhürman called on Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides to unconditionally accept a rotating presidency, saying he would immediately join United Nations-mediated talks if the principle were recognized.
Speaking during a televised program, Erhürman said he was ready to attend a trilateral meeting with Christodoulides and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, provided the Greek Cypriot side accepted political equality without linking the rotating presidency to security arrangements or guarantees.
“Let him accept the rotating presidency unconditionally, and I will come immediately,” Erhürman said, adding that he had conveyed the proposal through Guterres’ personal envoy, Maria Angela Holguin, but received no response.
Erhürman criticized the lack of progress on seven confidence-building measures raised by Guterres, noting that Christodoulides had instead presented 19 new proposals.
He also explained why a trilateral meeting had not taken place in New York, saying he had informed the U.N. envoy of his willingness to participate if there was a realistic prospect of agreement on two or three concrete issues.
“I don’t want meetings just for show. I don’t want photo opportunities. I want to get things done,” he said.
The Turkish Cypriot leader stressed that negotiations should deliver tangible results rather than merely resume without a clear path toward a settlement.
“I negotiate to achieve a solution, not simply for the sake of negotiating,” he said.
Erhürman reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing a results-oriented process, emphasizing the importance of confidence-building measures and his four-point framework for future negotiations.
A strong and resilient partnership between Türkiye and Canada is essential to addressing shared threats and seizing new opportunities amid mounting geopolitical uncertainty, growing humanitarian challenges and an increasingly complex global security environment, Türkiye’s Directorate of Communications said Thursday.
The statement followed the launch of a strategic partnership between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during the latter’s visit to Ankara, marking a new phase in bilateral relations built on 83 years of diplomatic ties.
The directorate said the partnership would fundamentally deepen cooperation between the two NATO allies, supporting shared objectives of expanding political dialogue, boosting economic growth and trade, advancing technological development and strengthening collective security.
The two countries, which reaffirmed their commitment to shared values including human rights, individual freedoms, democracy and the rule of law, agreed to pursue closer cooperation across a broad range of strategic sectors.
According to the statement, the partnership reflects a commitment to unlocking the full potential of bilateral relations by expanding trade and investment, strengthening cooperation on energy projects and natural resources, promoting defense and security collaboration and bringing governments and societies closer together.
To translate these commitments into concrete results, Erdoğan and Carney launched a three-year action plan structured around four pillars: trade, investment and innovation; energy and climate cooperation; defense and security; and government-to-government dialogue and people-to-people ties.
The leaders reaffirmed their intention to deepen cooperation in accordance with a previously signed declaration of intent on defense cooperation.
They also agreed to strengthen coordination in support of peace and security across the Euro-Atlantic region and beyond, with particular attention to Ukraine, the South Caucasus and the Middle East, including Gaza.
The statement welcomed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on defense sector partnerships between Türkiye’s Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) and Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs.
Building on the earlier declaration of intent, the memorandum is designed to facilitate the expansion of defense industry partnerships and support continued discussions on additional opportunities for cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
The agreement represents another step toward closer collaboration between the defense sectors of the two NATO allies.
Beyond military and defense industry cooperation, Erdoğan and Carney emphasized the importance of launching dialogue to strengthen mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and cooperation on extradition.
The two countries also aim to institutionalize regular diplomatic engagement while strengthening connections between the people of Türkiye and Canada.
The leaders agreed to establish an annual Türkiye-Canada Strategic Dialogue to provide a platform for reviewing bilateral priorities and advancing cooperation.
They also committed to continuing annual meetings of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee, alongside political-military consultations and counterterrorism consultations.
The two governments pledged to strengthen cooperation on consular affairs and migration while exploring measures that could facilitate travel and mobility between their countries.
The statement also highlighted plans to encourage cultural exchanges and closer engagement between Turkish and Canadian diaspora communities, reflecting a broader effort to strengthen relations beyond government institutions.
Erdoğan and Carney agreed that their foreign ministers would oversee implementation of the three-year action plan, ensuring that commitments made under the strategic partnership translate into practical cooperation.
According to the directorate, the roadmap is intended to deepen bilateral relations, promote international security and support the development of prosperous and environmentally sustainable economies.
The leaders emphasized that stronger cooperation would help both countries respond more effectively to shared challenges while creating new opportunities for businesses, investors and citizens.
Carney thanked the Turkish government for its hospitality during what the statement described as the first visit to Türkiye by a Canadian head of government.
Türkiye also welcomed an invitation for Erdoğan to visit Canada at a mutually convenient date, signaling the two governments’ intention to maintain high-level engagement as they work to implement their new strategic partnership.
The directorate stressed that the partnership comes at a time when greater international cooperation is increasingly important in confronting security threats, economic uncertainty and humanitarian challenges.
By strengthening their political, economic and security ties, Türkiye and Canada aim to establish a more resilient relationship capable of addressing common challenges while taking advantage of emerging opportunities in an evolving global landscape.
Turkish authorities arrested 34 suspects, including the current and former mayors of Adana’s Çukurova district, in a corruption investigation involving alleged bribery, procurement irregularities and bid-rigging, judicial sources said Friday.
The arrests came as a separate investigation into alleged tender fraud at Milas Municipality in southwestern Muğla province led to 20 suspects, including the district’s mayor, being referred to court.
In Adana, a court ordered the arrest of Çukurova Mayor Emrah Kozay, former Mayor Soner Çetin and three deputy mayors, among 34 suspects detained pending trial. The remaining 15 suspects, including another deputy mayor, were released under judicial supervision.
The investigation, launched by the Adana Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, centers on allegations of irregularities in municipal tenders and direct procurement procedures between 2024 and 2026.
Prosecutors allege that municipal officials improperly exploited exemptions under Türkiye’s Public Procurement Law to facilitate purchases through a municipality-affiliated company.
The investigation also involves allegations that contractors were required to pay bribes to receive payments for completed work and that certain municipal employees collected salaries without reporting for duty.
Authorities are investigating suspected criminal organization activities, bribery, aggravated fraud and bid-rigging.
A three-member panel of experts examined procurement records from 2024 through 2026, producing a report that, alongside other evidence, prompted coordinated operations by provincial gendarmerie units on Oct. 19.
Of the 51 suspects initially targeted, 49 were detained. Authorities are continuing efforts to locate the remaining two.
Çukurova Mayor Kozay had previously announced his resignation from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and said he would continue his political career under the New Party (YP).
Separate probe in Muğla
Meanwhile, prosecutors in Muğla launched a separate investigation into allegations that fraudulent documents were used to obtain work experience certificates for public procurement contracts involving Milas Municipality.
Police detained 35 suspects, including Milas Mayor Fevzi Topuz and his son, identified by the initials D.T., during simultaneous operations across 13 provinces on Oct. 20.
Twenty suspects were referred to court following police questioning, while the remaining 15 were released.
Investigators allege that contracts worth approximately TL 2.58 billion (approximately $52 million) involved work falsely documented as completed.
According to information obtained from the Public Procurement Authority, eight companies allegedly used fraudulent work experience certificates to participate in 25 tenders with a combined value of approximately TL 3.71 billion.
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