In his statement on his social media account, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said, “We appreciate the efforts made by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres regarding the Cyprus issue since the beginning of his duty. In this period when there is still no common ground for a solution between the two parties on the island, we believe that focusing on progress in important areas of cooperation within the scope of the process initiated by Secretary General Guterres in 2025 will serve to build trust.” he said.

Öncü Keçeli said:

On the other hand, we emphasize once again that the solution perspective will not materialize unless the uncompromising attitude of the Greek Cypriot side changes and its actions that negatively affect regional security are stopped. We hereby draw attention once again that solution models that have been tried and exhausted over decades are a thing of the past. As the homeland and guarantor state, we reiterate that a fair, comprehensive and sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue can be reached on the basis of the realities on the Island, the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people. As always, we confirm our full support for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriot people.

According to the statement made by the Diyanet, Arpaguş spoke at the Childhood Quran Teaching Workshop themed “Educational Activities for Children in Quran Courses: Evaluation and Future Perspective” organized by the General Directorate of Educational Services.

Stating that early childhood is the most critical phase in which a person’s identity, personality and character are shaped, Arpaguş said, “In this respect, we see Quran courses for ages 4-6 as not only a teaching process in which the skill of reading the Quran is acquired, but also as a strategic education area that aims to protect the child’s nature, support his spiritual and moral development, and contribute to the construction of a solid identity and personality.” made his assessment.

Drawing attention to the importance and sensitivity of childhood, Arpaguş continued as follows:

“We should measure our success in teaching the Quran not by how much students memorize, but by their ability to establish a relationship of love and trust with the Quran that will last a lifetime. What is more important than a child of four or five years old knowing all the letters is that he comes running to the Quran lesson. What is more valuable than memorizing long surahs for a child at that age is that he can learn the love of Allah in a compassion-centered way. Therefore, we measure our success criteria not only on the amount of memorization, recognition of letters or the level of applying the rules of tajwid, but also on participation in the lesson, desire to learn, social “We have to read through multidimensional indicators such as interaction and positive attitudes towards the Quran.”

Arpaguş stated that they aim to develop a Quran education model that brings together knowledge and wisdom and transforms it into morality, and said, “In order to bring our children together with our own civilization values, we have to develop a strong pedagogical approach centered on wisdom, as in the Islamic education tradition. When we can do this, we will achieve great success in Quran education and we will have come a long way towards raising faithful, knowledgeable, moral and personality generations.” he said.

Emphasizing that they are trying to make the most of the realities revealed by science and the possibilities and opportunities of the age in terms of preparing children for the future in the best possible way, Arpaguş said, “We are constantly trying to update our educational programs and course materials with the contributions of child psychologists, child development experts, pedagogues, academics and educators in the field. Our workshop held here today is a manifestation of this sensitivity.” made his assessment.

Deputy President of Religious Affairs Hüseyin Harikalar, Chairman of the Mushaf Examination and Reading Board Osman İyişenyürek and General Director of Educational Services Sedide Akbulut also attended the workshop.

The Presidential Cabinet convened under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The meeting at the Presidential Complex started at 16.24.

The most important topic of the meeting chaired by President Erdoğan will be the Terror-Free Türkiye target.

In the process of Türkiye without terrorism, all eyes are now on legal regulation. The current stage of the regulation, which is planned to be enacted before the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) goes into recess, will be discussed at the cabinet meeting. Comprehensive evaluations will be made regarding the contacts and studies carried out in this context.

THE TENSION BETWEEN THE USA AND IRAN WILL ALSO BE ON THE TABLE

In foreign policy, the ongoing tension between the USA and Iran in the Middle East will be on the agenda of the cabinet. Ankara, which has been striving for permanent peace in the region since the beginning, is following the developments closely. At the meeting, diplomatic initiatives to reach a new agreement on the Washington-Tehran line will be evaluated.

THE ECONOMY PROGRAM AND THE LATEST SITUATION IN THE MARKETS WILL BE DISCUSSED AT THE MEETING.

Developments in the Middle East, and especially the Hormuz crisis, continue to have a negative impact on the global economy and trade. At the cabinet meeting, actions to be taken against these effects that trigger inflation will be on the table. The economic program implemented within the framework of the Medium Term Program and the 12th Development Plan and the latest situation in the markets will be discussed.

Director of Communications Burhanettin Duran, in his speech at the closing of the 2nd Communication Council held at the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, stated that they held consultations with broad participation and on a solid basis, in the process where they took the first step with the Communication Council Preparatory Workshop on January 8-9, 2025.

Stating that they completed the Council, which they crowned yesterday with the attendance of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with today’s sessions, Duran said that they meticulously discussed every topic of communication, especially public diplomacy, strategic communication, security, crisis management, media policies and digital transformation.

In his speech, Duran also announced the Final Declaration of the 2nd Communication Council.

Emphasizing that a joint strategic communication working group should be established under the coordination of the Directorate of Communications, and the authority, responsibility and approval processes to be used in crisis periods should be determined in advance, Duran continued his words as follows:

“Fundamental principles such as proactivity, consistency and transparency should be taken as basis in the context of combating hybrid threats and international crises. Data-based content production should be the basis in the strategic communication narrative and artificial intelligence technologies should be used safely and effectively in analysis processes. International students in Türkiye should be accepted as communication ambassadors. A system that will create an international reference in the field of strategic communication should be developed, global academic collaborations and the visibility of Turkish academic publications should be supported. Political communication studies should be carried out based on data, sociological changes and transformations should be taken into account, possible crises should be prevented.” In order to manage effectively, a strategic and proactive approach should be adopted. The opportunities brought by the digitalization process in the field of political communication should be evaluated and measures should be taken against risks and threats.

HARMONY WITH TURKISH FOREIGN POLICY IN PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Director of Communications Duran stated that for an effective public diplomacy strategy, it is necessary to establish strong collaborations between the public, private sector, local governments and civil society, develop effective narrative strategies and ensure the harmony of activities with Turkish foreign policy.

Pointing out that public diplomacy activities should be designed to be impact-oriented and network-based, Duran said:

“Türkiye’s international broadcasting potential should be developed and strengthened. Soft power elements such as cultural, sports, scientific and humanitarian activities should be handled with a multilingual narrative strategy on a periodic and thematic basis. Mechanisms should be established to systematically measure the impact of public diplomacy activities through artificial intelligence and new media technologies. Branding efforts should be increased by developing strategies to strengthen Turkey’s brand, these studies should be transformed into a country branding strategy document and an action plan should be created.”

JOURNALISM AND FIGHTING DISINFORMATION

Duran stated that the awareness of media members against disinformation should be increased with training programs that benefit from the experience of the Center for Combating Disinformation.

Emphasizing that training programs on the conscious, safe and responsible use of artificial intelligence should be developed and disseminated to include media literacy, digital literacy, verification processes, the fight against disinformation, copyrights and digital ethics, Duran made the following evaluations:

“Verification mechanisms should be strengthened in news and content production processes. Cooperation between universities, public institutions, private sector and relevant stakeholders should be strengthened for the development of local and national artificial intelligence technologies, and the Turkey Media Database should be created. Digital disaster scenarios should be prepared at the national level against digital crises, cyber threats, information pollution and similar digital risks and should be updated regularly. Professional and institutional support mechanisms should be developed to strengthen field journalism. Digital technologies and artificial intelligence applications should be implemented in line with the basic principles of journalism: accuracy, on-site observation, source diversity and public interest. News production should be free from the pressure of clicks and popularity, and qualified journalism should be supported. Legislative arrangements regarding the legal status of freelance media workers should be made. Standards such as audio description, sign language, subtitling and ergonomic web designs should be adopted to increase the access of disabled individuals to media content. Legal regulations, social awareness campaigns and technological solutions should be developed in television broadcasts, away from ratings concerns. “Incentive mechanisms should be developed to increase the number of qualified content that respects ethical values and is compatible with our national identity. Projects that promote Türkiye’s cultural richness, history and identity should be increased, and Turkey should tell its own story with the content it produces.”

“DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION SHOULD BE CONDUCTED WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE NATIONAL STRATEGY”

Presidential Communications Director Duran stated that professional terminology in the field of public relations and corporate communication should be standardized and the widespread use of common concepts and term sets should be encouraged.

Explaining that public relations should be effectively included in the decision-making processes as one of the strategic management functions of institutions, Burhanettin Duran said:

“While digital transformation and artificial intelligence applications are being disseminated to ensure efficiency in public relations processes, the human-oriented communication approach should be preserved. University-public-private sector collaborations should be institutionalized in order to develop qualified human resources in the field of public relations. Türkiye’s digital transformation process should be carried out within the framework of a holistic national strategy with clearly defined stakeholders and task distribution, in which the public, academia, private sector and civil society assume joint responsibility. Communication law should be harmonized with digital transformation with the cooperation of state institutions, judiciary, academia, media and technology sector. Personality “The ‘right to be forgotten’ should be provided with a clear and applicable legal framework by considering the balance between human rights, freedom of expression and public interest. Digital parenting should be strengthened and children should have access to safe digital experiences appropriate to their age. Safe content policies and digital media literacy for children should be disseminated. Regulatory frameworks based on transparency, accountability and protection of individual rights in the development and use of artificial intelligence and digital platforms should be prepared. A national strategy document for individuals and society in the digital age should be prepared and continuous evaluation and coordination mechanisms should be established.”

CRISIS COMMUNICATION

Duran stated that the central role of the TAMP Communication Group should be strengthened in official information processes during disaster and crisis periods in accordance with the Türkiye Disaster Response Plan (TAMP).

Duran explained that TAMP Communication Group should have a platform where they will be in constant coordination with each other in a structure similar to the Disaster Communication Advisory Board, which includes representatives of relevant institutions, and said:

“The teams that manage the disaster and the teams that manage the disaster communication should be separated from each other. Mechanisms to prevent disinformation that occurs during disaster periods should be established before the crisis; preventive measures should be developed. The disaster broadcasting standard should be updated and it should be ensured that media platforms include only competent and accredited people in crisis periods. Proactive administrative and legal measures should be implemented without compromise against lynching culture, perception operations and manipulation activities that threaten social solidarity during disaster periods. In times of crisis, the pressure to be the first to share in digital and conventional media should be “The standard of institutional confirmation mechanisms in counter-broadcasting should be made a mandatory professional rule. Face-to-face disaster awareness activities should be increased in risky regions where digital access is limited, and alternative communication channels (announcement systems, local radios) for these regions should be planned before the disaster. Disaster Journalism Accreditation and Training Programs should be implemented to ensure that journalists and content producers working in disaster areas protect the traumatic situations and privacy of disaster victims.”

Director of Communications Duran stated that internship programs for communication faculty students, where they can spend their final semesters in the sector, should be expanded and employment opportunities for graduates in the public sector should be improved.

Duran said that the faculty of communication curriculum should be updated according to digitalization and media literacy should be made a basic and compulsory course for all university programs.

CINEMA, SERIES, MOVIE

Duran explained that the development of a cinema policy appropriate to changing technological-sociological conditions and the increase of national cinema platforms should be encouraged for the purpose of research, archiving, restoration and sectoral data sharing, and said:

“Co-productions, film fairs and sectoral collaborations should be supported for the internationalization of the film and cinema industry. Against international content monopolization and cultural hegemony, a comprehensive Communication Strategy Document based on local and national values should be prepared in line with the goal of the Turkey Century. Film, TV series, animation and documentary productions that establish a stronger bond with the audience, have natural and original storytelling, and reflect cultural heritage, family values and social memory should be encouraged. By encouraging the establishment of large TV series and film plateaus in the target provinces, the plateaus will be used in regional tourism.” “Incentives for contributions should be increased. Finally, a map of Türkiye’s current communication field should be prepared and the Communication Council should be organized periodically within the framework of different themes. I hope that the Communication Council Conclusion Declaration, which includes ideas, determinations and proposals on all dimensions of communication, will be beneficial. I would like to express that we will pay attention to each article and strive to implement these articles immediately.”

Duran thanked the academics, communication and media professionals, experts and colleagues who devoted their time and effort to the Council.

An operation was carried out by the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office against Üsküdar Municipality on charges of “Bribery”, “Extortion” and “Establishing a Organization”. 6 people, including Mayor Sinem Dedetaş, her Deputy Ceyhun Ünlü and her Private Secretary Alihan Koçoğlu, were detained. MASAK, contractors and municipal subsidiary Kent A.Ş. It was determined that a front consultancy contract worth 1 billion 78 million lira was signed between the companies and more than 361 million lira was collected. During the operation, Üsküdar Mayor Sinem Dedetaş, Deputy Mayor Ceyhun Ünlü, Private Secretary Alihan Koçoğlu, Architect Burçin Çevik, business follower Adem Altıntaş and contractor Bülent Orhan Tozkoparan were detained.

LICENSE PROCESSES WERE MANAGED WITH CRYPTO MAIL AND EXCEL

Kent A.Ş., which has no official authority. It was determined that its employees directed the licensing processes through an encrypted e-mail system and color-coded Excel tables. It was claimed that in projects with high construction volume, the bribe tariff was determined in dollars, some of the money collected was distributed to the personnel, and some was delivered to Akkoyunlu in line with the needs of the Private Secretary. In the first two waves of the investigation, 16 people, including Vice President Filiz Deveci and Nazım Akkoyunlu, were arrested.

COLORFUL PASSWORD OF THE BRIBERY NETWORK

One of the suspects who testified within the scope of the investigation deciphered the color-coded table prepared regarding the bribery negotiations between contractors and municipal officials in the district. According to the coloring table, it was determined that the build files were classified with different colors and each color contained a separate instruction regarding the process to be followed.

Accordingly, it was determined that the structures marked in blue represent the files in which an agreement has been reached with the contractors and the transactions need to be carried out. It was evaluated that the files marked in red indicate structures whose transactions should be stopped because an agreement could not be reached between the parties.

It was determined that the structures marked in green indicate that no meetings have been held with the relevant people yet and therefore the transactions should not be progressed.

In the statement made by the Directorate of Communications, it was stated that significant results were obtained in the studies on terrorist propaganda and disinformation activities in the digital field.

In the statement, it was noted that 3,679 of the access blocked accounts were determined to be linked to FETO and FETO-affiliated structures, and it was emphasized that legal and administrative procedures were completed and access blocking decisions were implemented, with the coordination of the relevant institutions, for 2,965 accounts that were found to be praising terrorism, encouraging terrorism, spreading disinformation, and carrying out psychological operation activities against Turkey.

THE MOST ACCESS BARRIERS ARE ON THE X PLATFORM

In the statement, it was stated that in the distribution of access blocked accounts according to platforms in the 7-month period, X took the first place, followed by Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and Spotify.

The statement pointed out that terrorist organizations and organized disinformation networks aim to manipulate public opinion, influence social perception and create information pollution during crisis periods, especially by using platforms with high interaction potential.

“The coordination mechanism is not limited to interfering with illegal content. Trend topic (TT) lists, hashtag campaigns, coordinated sharing networks and bot account movements created on social media platforms are also monitored in real time with advanced digital analysis methods. While artificial agenda studies created for the purpose of psychological operations are detected in a short time, the source and spread model of the campaigns are revealed through digital network analysis. With the technical and legal processes carried out simultaneously by the relevant institutions, coordinated influence operations are prevented from reaching large masses.

Security sources state that digital platforms have now become an arena of struggle that directly concerns not only the field of communication but also national security. It is stated that technical analysis, judicial process and access measures are operated in harmony from a single center with the work carried out by the institutions, thus not only individual accounts but also organized digital networks are detected and neutralized. “Access block data on 6,644 accounts that emerged in the last 7 months reveals that Türkiye has implemented a multi-layered and coordinated fight model in the cyber homeland against terrorist propaganda, disinformation and psychological operations activities.”