Politicians and business people shared their experiences with young people at the Young Executive School 2026 Summit Program organized by the Turkish Youth Foundation (TÜGVA). TÜGVA President İbrahim Fifth and leading names of the business world attended the Young Executive School 2026 Summit Program organized by the Turkish Youth Foundation (TÜGVA). Minister of Commerce Ömer Bolat, who participated in the program and gave life advice to young people, said, “There is now a very good environment for entrepreneurship in Turkey. We have always recorded positive growth in the last 23 years. We have experienced an average annual real growth of 5.4 percent. We have been through great difficulties, we have overcome them all. We are always in turbulent, chaotic periods. In this period, countries that can maintain stability, have a strong economy and ensure social peace rise and shine rapidly. Everyone wants to see that place as their address. Of course, there is also the fact that this is what we are experiencing. “As a result of our economic development in society, we managed to become the 16th largest economy in the world with a value of 1.6 trillion dollars in 23 years. We were the 21st in 2002. We reached an export figure of 400 billion dollars in goods and services, an increase of approximately 8 times. In addition, we increased from 19.5 million to 32.5 million jobs.”

TRUST IS VERY IMPORTANT
Underlining the importance of trust in life, Minister Bolat said, “Trust is very important in business life, trust is very important in politics, trust is very important in social life and family life. Who wants to do business with someone who is unreliable, not loyal to their debts, or a fraudster? They don’t want to. Therefore, let’s try to be on the side of employees, producers, and the truthful, and let’s organize in voluntary organizations like the example of TÜGVA and get stronger there. I wish you all success.”

Work continues on the 2.5-kilometer road near Tatlı village, which is one of the three alternative routes determined after transportation on the Hakkari-Van highway was stopped due to the landslide that took place on April 13 in Akçalı village of the center. The Ministry of National Defense stepped in to connect the route in question to the Hakkari-Van highway over the Zap River, whose flow rate is increasing. The panel bridge works, which were brought to the city from Malatya by the 2nd Army Engineer Brigade Command upon the instructions of the Ministry and whose installation started on May 4, were completed as a result of the feverish work of the military personnel.

PLATES WERE PLACED
The bridge, which is 39 meters long, 3.5 meters wide and has a carrying capacity of 37 tons, placed on both sides of the Zap River, was named “Kaan Bridge”. Highways teams also carried out ground improvement work and placed signboards at the point where the bridge, which was built to accommodate the passage of heavy tonnage vehicles, is located and on the alternative route. It was stated that the road, where construction equipment and personnel carry out their work using the prepared bridge, will be opened to traffic in a short time after the ground improvement works are completed.

Within the scope of the work carried out by the Edirne Keşan Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, an operation was carried out on a vehicle that was considered to be preparing to go abroad illegally. 5 adults and an 8-month-old baby, who were in a vehicle stopped on the Keşan-Malkara highway at around 23.15 on May 7, were examined in detail.

THEY WERE CAUGHT BEFORE ESCAPING
During the identity checks, it was determined that the passengers in the vehicle, whose driver was determined to be Kadir Ovali, were judges who were dismissed from their profession within the scope of the FETO/PYD armed terrorist organization. Accordingly, it was determined that there were 4 dismissed judges in the vehicle: Ali Akpınar, Hülya Kaya, Seyfullah Çakmak and Muhsin Gökçe. It was revealed that Ali Akpınar, one of the suspects, was tried at the Ankara 27th High Criminal Court, Hülya Kaya at the Uzunköprü 1st Criminal Court of First Instance, Seyfullah Çakmak at the Istanbul 27th High Criminal Court and Muhsin Gökçe at the Ankara 21st High Criminal Court on the charge of “being a member of an armed terrorist organization”, some files were at the appeal stage and there was a search record for Muhsin Gökçe. It was determined that the 8-month-old baby in the vehicle belonged to export judge Hülya Kaya.

SUSPICIOUS MIGRANT TRAFFICKING
It was assessed that driver Kadir Ovali acted as an organizer to take the suspects abroad illegally. It was determined that the other suspects were also planning to escape via different routes. Following the operation, 4 dismissed judges, including Kadir Ovali, were detained. A large-scale investigation was launched against the suspects on charges of “immigrant smuggling” and “membership of an armed terrorist organization”.

The achievements achieved in the defense industry are reinforced with new successes. Thanks to the investments carried out in cooperation with the public, private sector and universities and the strong support given to R&D projects, a structure that will have a say in the war technologies of the future is being built. The momentum achieved in the defense industry in the last 23 years is also reflected in the figures. Within the scope of the incentive system, the way was paved for the implementation of 1112 defense industry projects with a total investment size of 460 billion lira. These investments cover a wide range of areas, from land, air and sea platforms to electronic warfare systems, from ammunition technologies to cyber security infrastructures. By increasing strategic production capabilities, significant progress has been made towards the goal of reducing foreign dependency and localizing critical technologies.

STRONG SUPPORT
Human resources and R&D ecosystem, which are one of the most important elements of the development in the defense industry, were also comprehensively supported. Since 2002, 2 thousand 142 defense industry projects have been supported within the scope of TÜBİTAK scholarship and support programs. In this process, a total of 64 billion lira was provided to 4,300 scientists and young researchers.

SAHA 2026, organized by SAHA Istanbul, Türkiye’s and Europe’s largest defense, aviation and space industry cluster, has ended. While 150 thousand citizens visited SAHA, an export agreement worth 8 billion dollars was signed. Thousands of citizens flocked to the fair area at Istanbul Expo Center and closely examined the local and national products produced by Turkish engineers. Many stands, especially those of ASELSAN, ROKETSAN, BAYKAR and MSB, were overflowing. Citizens; He saw domestic unmanned aerial, land and sea vehicles, warplanes, stealth bombers, infantry rifles and many other products closely. Citizens who spoke to SABAH shared their thoughts about the fair.

THESE ARE OUR NATIONAL PRIDE

Kerim Polat (55): We came from Pendik with my son. When you visit this place, you feel proud. These are our national pride. Long live our state.

ALL OF THEM ARE THE POPLE OF OUR EYE

İbrahim Hamza (59): I came from Gebze. The fair is more beautiful and bigger than I expected. I’m thinking which product is better, but I’m having a hard time choosing. They are all the apple of our eye.

HE CAME WITH A TURKISH FLAG ON HIS BACK

Abuzer Koç (60): May God bless our brothers who created these works, especially our Chief. Enfal-17, YILDIRIMHAN and TB-3 impressed me very much.

Yahya Güler (49): We had the chance to see the new products. Of course we are proud. Thank you to everyone who contributed.

HIS TUGRAH HONORED ME

Fatma Zahmacıoğlu (36): We came with my wife and two sons. I couldn’t forget the statements made by Israel, “It’s Türkiye’s turn”, but I was proud when I saw these weapons. We came primarily to see YILDIRIMHAN, but I also saw products I had never seen before. It made me proud to see the Ottoman signature on YILDIRIMHAN.

Elif Turgut (20): The product I liked the most was Kızılelma and Bayraktar TB2. I also saw the tanks on the other side, they were all very impressive. I really said well done and as a Turk, I was very touched. It made me very proud that we could make things like this and sell them to other countries.

I’M HAVING HARD NOT TO CRY

Fatma Meydancı (57): I have a hard time not crying when I see what I see. May God bless you always. At one time, both my mother and I were waiting in line at the grocery store to buy some oil, but now I’m watching a plane. What more can I say?

THE WORLD SEEED TURKISH AWAKENING

Osman Meydancı (61): The product I liked the most was the YILDIRIMHAN missile. The products of Baykar and ASELSAN are also great. The whole world, especially Israel, saw the Turks waking up.

I AM SYRIAN, I AM PROUD

Ömer al-Numan (21): I am Syrian. I was born in Latakia. I saw the ballistic missile produced by the Turks. I also witnessed the level of technology that the Turkish defense system has reached. I am proud and grateful that this country protects me under its flag.

OUR GOAL IS TO BUILD A JUST WORLD
BAYKAR Chairman of the Board of Directors, Selçuk Bayraktar, made a ‘Vision Speech’. Noting that the biggest threat to our independence is not the conventional armies massed at our borders, but the ‘Technocapitalist Global Domination’ that directly infiltrates the devices in our pockets, Bayraktar said: “We have to protect that divine spirit and deep feeling that makes human beings, the most honorable of creations, the ‘honest of creation’, as defined by our belief. Our civilization is the civilization of the heart. Technology in the hands of those who have no heart and mercy. But it turns into a tool of destruction. Our goal is to build a just world where technology serves people.

LASER SYSTEM FOR TOLGA
‘Laser Weapon System’ was also integrated into the TOLGA Close Air Defense System developed by MKE. The system will be able to perform 3 different tasks against threats detected in the air: first dazzle (temporary blindness), then darken (permanent blindness), and finally destruction.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan included the following statements in his message on May 9 Europe Day: May 9 Europe Day, where the Schuman Declaration laying the foundations of European integration was announced, is one of the symbols of the European Union as well as a concrete indicator of the goal of building a common future based on peace, cooperation and mutual respect on our continent. The rules on which the European Union, whose foundations were laid 76 years ago, are being tested simultaneously by multi-dimensional crises. Wars, political crises and economic difficulties, the effects of which are felt on a global scale, have made it necessary for the European Union to pursue more inclusive and unifying policies. Türkiye, a candidate country for the European Union, continues to be the essential and indispensable element of this process. At this point today, it is clear that a European architecture in which Türkiye does not take the place it deserves will be incomplete and will have a weakness in its capacity to manage crises. As we have stated before, the European Union’s need for Türkiye is greater than Türkiye’s need for the Union, and this need will increase in the future.

As Türkiye, we have the will to advance our relations with the European Union with a win-win approach, with the perspective of full membership, based on the principle of pacta keeping. We expect this sincere will to be demonstrated by the European Union as well. With these thoughts, I hope that 9 May Europe Day will lead to peace, tranquility and solidarity in our common geography, and I congratulate the European people, especially our citizens, on Europe Day. Meanwhile, President Erdoğan contacted the AK Party Istanbul Provincial Women’s Branch Advisory Council by phone, expressed his satisfaction with the work of women’s organizations in the field and celebrated Mother’s Day.

COOPERATION SHOULD INCREASE
Thomas Van Vynckt, Peace, Security and Defense Group Leader of the ‘Friends of Europe’ think tank: Turkey has a huge land army with combat experience, Baykar UAVs and strong capacity in other defense technologies. Turkey is a pillar of transatlantic security and has positioned itself as a key actor at the intersection of the Middle East and Europe. Cooperation with Turkey should be increased for the future of the Union.
International Crisis Group Senior Analyst Marta Mucznik: Awareness of Türkiye’s increasing strategic importance in the EU is getting stronger.

WE ARE EMPLOYING FOR A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION FOR PEACE
President Erdoğan had a telephone conversation with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). During the meeting, Türkiye-UAE bilateral relations, regional and global issues were discussed. During the meeting, Erdoğan stated that they attach importance to developing cooperation between Türkiye and the UAE on many issues, especially in the fields of trade, energy and security. Erdoğan stated that the difficulties experienced in the region during the conflict between Iran and the USA are saddening, and that they will continue to fully support the sovereignty and security of the UAE, and expressed his wishes for a speedy recovery for the damages suffered. Erdoğan stated that Türkiye is making efforts to establish a diplomatic solution between the USA and Iran, in contact with relevant countries, and that more dialogue and cooperation is needed to meet the security needs of the region.

THE SPACEPORT IS EXTRAORDINARY
Alpine Space Ventures Founding Partner Bülent Altan: The “Space Port Project” that Türkiye has started working on in Somalia is extraordinary. Türkiye has secured itself in this field.