Politics
Turkish Parliament speaker holds talks with counterparts in Istanbul
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş held a series of bilateral meetings on Friday with his counterparts from Russia, Georgia, Luxembourg and others, focusing on parliamentary cooperation as well as regional and global developments.
The talks took place on the sidelines of the 152nd assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, hosted in Istanbul.
In his meeting with the Russian Parliament speaker, Kurtulmuş welcomed Federation Council Chair Valentina Matviyenko and said he hoped the gathering would deepen dialogue. He pointed to close ties between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin as a driver of cooperation across multiple fields, and said parliamentary engagement could further strengthen relations.
Kurtulmuş reiterated Ankara’s opposition to unilateral sanctions on Russia, arguing they carry broader political and humanitarian consequences. He also highlighted the importance Türkiye places on Moscow’s support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, calling for stronger international efforts to halt Israel’s actions in Palestinian territories.
Matviyenko said her recent meeting with Erdoğan had been productive and credited leadership-level contacts for advancing bilateral ties. She added that closer parliamentary coordination would help expand cooperation and reaffirmed Russia’s backing of a two-state solution.
In talks with Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, Kurtulmuş stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Caucasus. He called for strengthening the Türkiye-Georgia-Azerbaijan trilateral mechanism and suggested broader regional cooperation could be pursued with Armenia’s inclusion.
He also underlined the goal of increasing bilateral trade to $5 billion and described the Middle Corridor as strategically important for both commerce and regional stability. Kurtulmuş said lasting peace in the Black Sea, Middle East, Eastern Mediterranean and Caucasus would contribute to wider prosperity.
Papuashvili, for his part, welcomed the opportunity to attend the IPU gathering and expressed condolences over the victims of a recent school attack in Türkiye.
During a separate meeting with Luxembourg’s parliament speaker Claude Wiseler, Kurtulmuş emphasized the value of stronger cooperation between NATO allies, particularly in defense. He also highlighted Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war and its preference for dialogue in addressing regional tensions.
Kurtulmuş criticized Israel’s actions in the region and underscored the importance of recent moves by several Western countries, including Luxembourg, to recognize Palestine, saying such steps help sustain momentum toward a two-state solution.
Qatar’s Shura Council Speaker Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanim on Thursday highlighted the growing diplomatic influence of Türkiye and Qatar, saying the two countries play a key role in mediating regional conflicts and supporting humanitarian efforts, particularly in Gaza.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 152nd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Istanbul, al-Ghanim described the forum as a high-profile platform for international cooperation. He emphasized that Ankara and Doha maintain “deep-rooted and strategic” ties, marked by close coordination on political and humanitarian issues.
“Türkiye and Qatar play a very important role in resolving disputes and conflicts,” al-Ghanim said, noting their joint mediation efforts in regional crises and their ability to maintain dialogue between opposing sides.
He also underscored Qatar’s ongoing support for Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, where humanitarian conditions have sharply deteriorated amid the continuing conflict. Doha has been a central mediator in cease-fire negotiations and hostage exchanges, working alongside partners including Egypt and the United States, according to reports from international agencies.
Türkiye, for its part, has been one of the most vocal advocates for a cease-fire and increased humanitarian access. Ankara has delivered aid shipments, hosted diplomatic talks and pushed for international recognition of Palestinian statehood. The Turkish Parliament also launched initiatives such as a parliamentary group focused on Palestine and Jerusalem.
Al-Ghanim said the Qatari Shura Council is coordinating closely with Turkish lawmakers to align parliamentary efforts aimed at easing Palestinian suffering and mobilizing global support.
Beyond Gaza, Türkiye and Qatar have expanded cooperation across defense, trade and diplomacy over the past decade. The two countries have also worked in tandem on regional issues, including conflicts involving Iran and broader Middle East security challenges, often positioning themselves as key intermediaries.
Their partnership, al-Ghanim said, continues to contribute to stability through dialogue and coordinated action.
The Turkish army has long been in the top 10 in international rankings for military strength. Now, it plans to further bolster its standing, as the Defense Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that it is planning to set up new commando brigades.
The statement said the ministry was following changes in the nature of warfare and technology and was “updating its structure based on needs and the experience drawn from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.”
“In this context, we started work on increasing the number of commando brigades. They will be different than the current brigades and will be set up with a modern understanding, compatible with current threat assessment and operation concepts,” the ministry said.
Türkiye is part of the NATO alliance, where it retains the second-biggest army. The army is battle-tested in counterterrorism operations and serves in various NATO missions, particularly in the Balkans. The country is on alert against the expanding Israeli threat in the region, which peaked with the war on Iran. Israel, in the meantime, drums up a threatening narrative toward Türkiye, which has been a strong opponent of the genocidal regime in the face of atrocities in Gaza and beyond.
At a weekly press briefing at the National Defense University in Istanbul, ministry spokesperson Brig. Adm. Zeki Aktürk said the army served in a wide region as part of bilateral relations and international missions. He recalled that Turkish F-16 fighter jets and ATAK and Cougar helicopters performed a salute flight in Somalia’s Mogadishu on April 12, as part of celebrations for the anniversary of Somalia’s army.
Aktürk said that they would continue to support permanent peace and efforts to upgrade the temporary cease-fire in the U.S.-Israel-Iran war to a permanent one, “before it becomes more complex and unmanageable.”
Emphasizing that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) continue to improve their operational capabilities through national and international training and exercise activities, bringing modern warfare capabilities to advanced levels and increasing effectiveness and deterrence, Aktürk listed several exercises the army participated in recently.
“The activities for the Distinguished Observer Day of the Computer-Aided Command Post Phase of the EFES-2026 Combined Joint Operation Exercise, coordinated by the Aegean Army Command and held between April 11-17, were conducted in Istanbul yesterday and are being held in Izmir today. The live-fire phase of the EFES Exercise will take place in Izmir between April 20 and May 21. The Dynamic Minotaur/Kurtaran Submarine Search and Rescue Exercise, hosted by our country with the participation of 20 countries, is being held in the Eastern Mediterranean on April 15-21. The Distinguished Observer Day of the exercise will be held on April 20 aboard the TCG Alemdar. Our ships TCG Gaziantep, TCG Bayraktar, TCG Bartın, and TCG Yüzbaşı Güngör Durmuş, along with the Çağrı Bey drilling ship and accompanying support vessels, reached Mogadishu, Somalia, on April 9-10. Our frigate TCG Gaziantep and our fuel ship TCG Yüzbaşı Güngör Durmuş continue their mission of escorting and protecting the Çağrı Bey Drilling Ship off the coast of Somalia,” he said.
Aktürk stated that the army continues to modernize its defense capabilities with the opportunities provided by the local and national defense industry. Stating that efforts to further increase the army’s advanced technological equipment and deterrent power continue, Aktürk pointed out that the Land Forces Command recently commissioned a number of Fırtına-2 howitzers as well as Akıncı drones.
“Additionally, various quantities of ACAR 300-G ground and UAV surveillance radars by Aselsan have been delivered to our land forces,” he said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned that foreign military deployments to Cyprus under the pretext of tensions involving Iran must not become permanent, reaffirming Türkiye’s readiness to defend the Turkish Cypriots.
According to the Presidential Communications Directorate, Erdoğan made the remarks during talks with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Tufan Erhürman at the Dolmabahçe Working Office in Istanbul, where bilateral ties and regional developments were discussed.
Erdoğan emphasized that military elements deployed to the island under the pretext of tensions involving Iran should not become a lasting presence.
He reiterated that Türkiye remains ready to take all necessary steps to defend the Turkish Cypriots and will not allow their rights and interests to be undermined.
Senior officials, including the head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Ibrahim Kalın, Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, chief foreign policy and security adviser Akif Çağatay Kılıç and presidential adviser Zafer Çubukcu, also attended the meeting.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Deputy Chair Semih Yalçın announced that the staff at three branches of the party in the western, central and eastern cities of Kütahya, Eskişehir and Kars were relieved of duties.
The decision unveiled on Thursday on social media follows a similar dissolution of the party’s branches in the country’s most populated city, Istanbul, earlier this month.
Yalçın cited several articles in the party’s charter for the reason of dissolution, while he did not elaborate on the decision. He also announced new names to lead the branches in three cities.
The Istanbul dissolution was the first major reshuffle in the party in years and followed the departure of Izzet Ulvi Yönter, an influential deputy chair of the government ally. Yönter has reportedly left his tenure to pursue an academic career.
The MHP, one of the oldest nationalist parties in the country, has survived multiple splits, which led to the foundation of the Good Party (IP) and the Victory Party (ZP). It still stands strong in the polls, trailing behind the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s (IBB) council on Wednesday debated the Audit Commission’s 2025 report, with opposition members alleging widespread irregularities, mounting debt and declining service quality, while municipal officials defended their record.
The second session of the April council meetings, chaired by Deputy Mayor Nuri Aslan, was held at the municipality’s headquarters in Istanbul’s Saraçhane district.
During the session, Muhammet Kaynar, a council member from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and a member of the Audit Commission, said the body had identified a total of 346 irregularities over the past five years, including 44 findings in the 2025 report alone.
Kaynar argued that previously identified irregularities had not been addressed by the municipal administration. “Despite these findings, the same irregular practices have continued,” he said, adding that the municipality had failed to provide sufficient explanations regarding past audit results.
He also highlighted the municipality’s financial structure, saying that of the TL 275.4 billion (approximately $8.5 billion) in revenue recorded in 2025, approximately 86.6% came from transfers from the central government. The figure represents a 53.1% increase compared with the previous year, he said.
“Despite this level of support from the central administration, there is no visible improvement in services,” Kaynar said.
Kaynar added that the municipality had sold real estate assets worth nearly TL 5 billion in 2025 but claimed this had not translated into improved public services.
He further criticized the administration for failing to provide detailed accounting records requested by the commission. According to Kaynar, journal entries related to 2025 financial accounts were not submitted, preventing the commission from examining whether project-based borrowing was used appropriately, how much credit had been utilized and how those funds were spent.
Addressing the municipality’s debt, Kaynar said total liabilities had risen sharply over recent years. As of Dec. 31, 2025, IBB’s total debt stood at approximately TL 261.9 billion, up from TL 26.7 billion at the end of 2018.
“In seven years, the debt has increased by nearly 1,000%,” he said.
Including affiliated institutions, the combined debt of IBB, the Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (ISKI) and the public transport authority IETT reached TL 336.9 billion, Kaynar said, adding that data on the debts of 31 municipal companies had not been shared with the commission.
The council also discussed IETT’s 2025 activity report, drawing criticism from opposition parties over public transport performance.
Dursun Çağlayan, deputy group chairperson of the Great Unity Party (BBP), said the report reflected systemic management problems rather than isolated shortcomings.
“There is not a single issue here, but a structural problem,” Çağlayan said, citing findings in a report by Türkiye’s Court of Accounts, which identified 68 issues, including six deemed critical.
He said service disruptions, delays and declining passenger comfort were highlighted in the report. “Citizens go to bus stops, but the buses do not arrive,” he said.
Çağlayan also pointed to a lack of investment in new vehicles and inadequate maintenance of the existing fleet, saying the institution itself had acknowledged that it had not reached its vehicle procurement targets.
“The system is being managed on a day-to-day basis rather than with long-term planning,” he said. “The financial structure is unsustainable, service quality is declining, and transparency is lacking.”
Members of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) echoed similar concerns, focusing on unmet investment targets and worsening traffic conditions.
Council member Şule Hayal said the IETT report showed that several key goals had not been achieved, including the procurement of new buses and the expansion of electric vehicle systems.
“Out of a targeted 555 new vehicles, none were purchased. Out of a planned 50 electric bus conversions, none were completed,” she said.
Hayal also criticized the municipality for failing to increase the number of sheltered bus stops, noting that none of the 300 planned stops had been built.
She said the lack of investment in transportation had contributed to worsening traffic in Istanbul, citing international data indicating that the city ranks among the most congested in the world.
“Residents spend an average of 118 hours a year, nearly five days in traffic,” she said.
Traffic congestion levels have exceeded 90%, she added, transforming what was once rush-hour congestion into a persistent, all-day problem.
Hayal also raised concerns about unpaid dues to private public bus operators, saying they had faced financial hardship due to delays in receiving payments.
“We reiterate our call for the necessary steps to be taken to ensure that these payments are made and that operators are no longer victimized,” she said.
She noted that the cost of public transport had risen significantly, with ticket prices increasing from TL 2.60 in 2019 to TL 42 in 2026, a rise of more than 1,500%.
Despite the sharp fare increases, revenues have not kept pace with expenditures, remaining at roughly one-third of total costs, she said.
Tensions flared in Cyprus’ U.N.-controlled buffer zone village of Pyla, the island’s only mixed Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot settlement, after a dispute over livestock inspections led to a brief standoff involving Turkish Cypriot police and U.N. peacekeepers.
The incident began when Greek Cypriot authorities sought to inspect animal pens located in an area administered by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), citing concerns over a recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the south.
Turkish Cypriot officials rejected the move, saying the Greek Cypriot veterinarians lacked authorization to enter TRNC territory.
Police set up a temporary checkpoint near the boundary and blocked access to the area, escalating tensions between the sides.
Greek Cypriot officials argued that products from the livestock, including milk, were being sold across the divide, necessitating health inspections. They also sought assistance from the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), which deployed personnel to the area, describing the zone as disputed.
The situation prompted reports in Greek Cypriot media claiming that Turkish tanks were moving toward the area, raising fears of a military escalation.
However, U.N. spokesperson Alim Siddiqi denied the claims, saying no tanks or armored vehicles had been observed.
“As the United Nations, we did not see any tanks or armored vehicles, and there was no clash between U.N. forces and Turkish troops,” Siddiqi said.
He suggested the reports may have stemmed from a misunderstanding, noting that only civilian-type sport utility vehicles were present, parked outside the buffer zone.
On the other hand, most recently, a group of Greek Cypriot extremists tried to attack Turkish Cypriots on the buffer zone, during a rally to celebrate the anniversary of EOKA, a terrorist faction known for massacres of Turkish Cypriots during the second half of the 20th century.
Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu said in a statement that the Greek Cypriot side was still dominated by the EOKA mindset, and he condemned “this fascist act.”
“Attacks on our flag are an attack on our nation, and it cannot be tolerated,” he said. “Turkish Cypriots have the power to protect their sacred symbols as they did in the past,” he underlined.
The incident came roughly one week after a Greek Cypriot military official openly targeted the TRNC in provocative remarks, when he voiced hope to mark future Easters in “occupied homeland,” referring to the Turkish Cypriot side.
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