GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON OCT 24

HURRIYET
--WOMEN AND EU HAVE SAVED RULING AKP
The Turkish Constitutional Court explained the grounds for its recent decision in the closure case filed against the Justice and Development Party (AKP). It stated that "the party was the focal point of anti-secular acts but it shall not be closed down".

In the reasoned verdict issued in the Official Gazette, Premier Tayyip Erdogan's remarks stating that "let's suppose headscarf is a symbol..." were shown as evidence for being a focal point. What saved the AKP in this case was the party's activities such as the "continuation of efforts for EU membership and the acceptation of positive discrimination in an effort to provide gender equality".

--U.S. DOLLAR REACHES TOP VALUE OF LAST 5-1/2 YEARS
The U.S. dollar exceeded 1.74 YTL on Thursday, reaching the highest value of the last 5-1/2 years. The value of euro also increased significantly, reaching 2.19 YTL. The losses on the Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) remained at 2.2 percent.

MILLIYET
--TAX PARDON ON WAY
Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said that the government would make arrangements to offer convenient payment terms to those citizens owing taxes to the government. Unakitan stressed that individuals would be able to pay their taxes in installments over18-months. The Turkish government is expected to implement a tax pardon as part of its measures in the fight against the global financial crisis.

--ISTANBUL'S POPULATION TO BE 12 MILLION IN 2025
A report prepared by the United Nations (U.N.) argued that Istanbul's population in the year 2025 would be 12 million people. In 2025, Istanbul would be the 20th most crowded city in the world. Istanbul's population in 2007 was 10.1 million people in 2007.

SABAH
--TUNING FROM ANKARA TO THE CRISIS
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey could turn global crisis into an opportunity and might overcome the crisis with the least damage. Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said the growth rate might drop and unemployment might be on the rise, noting that a sound budget was prepared for 2009 against the crisis.

--REMINDS THE PAST
Galatasaray soccer team of Turkey defeated Greece's Olympiakos 1-0 in their first match in UEFA Cup Group B. A goal scored by Harry Kewell reminded us of a time when Galatasaray was popular in Europe.

VATAN
--ERDOGAN SCOLDS BANKS
Speaking about the banks, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said, "others are involved in opportunism by increasing loan interest rates. Don't do this. We will not allow it." Erdogan said th stance of banks against the real sector was not proper, adding that, "the finance sector makes a mistake because the same thing happened in the crisis period before 2002."

--NEW ALLIANCE WITH MHP ON WAY FOR HEADSCARF
Commenting on the headscarf decision of the constitutional court, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said, "This is an unacceptable intervention in the assignment and authority of the parliament," and made a call for a restriction to the authority of the constitutional court. In response Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said, "We are always ready for a study on this matter. However, the problem is that, there should be good will. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will be included in it as long as there is good will."

CUMHURIYET
--30 ANTI-SECULAR ACTS
The Constitutional Court released its reasoned verdict in the closure case filed against the ruling AKP. The court determined that the AKP had become the focal point of anti-secular acts on 30 different acts. Premier Tayyip Erdogan heads the list of people who carried out such acts and related remarks in the 772-page reasoned verdict.

--MESSAGE FROM OBAMA
U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama said that the strategic partnership between Ankara and Washington D.C. was harmed as a result of Bush administration's intervention in Iraq and the escalation of PKK terrorism. Obama also said that he would display efforts for the strengthening of the relations between a stable and democratic Turkey and the regional administration in the north of Iraq.

RADIKAL
--BIG BROTHER KEMAL SAYS TURKEY'S COMPETITIVENESS WILL GROW
While Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said that there was no need to worry after the new Turkish lira (YTL) lost 30 percent in value against the dollar. One U.S. dollar was worth 1.74 YTL on Thursday. According to Unakitan, the increasing rates of exchange will cause a drop in Turkey's current account deficit and increase Turkey's competitiveness.

--FATIH TERIM TO EARN 3.1 MLN YTL
The coach of Turkey's national soccer team Fatih Terim will earn 3.1 million YTL annually. The Turkish Football Federation extended Terim's contract until 2012.

YENI SAFAK
--BUSH REVIVED PKK, U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE OBAMA
U.S. Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama said that President George W. Bush revived PKK terrorism and harmed its strategic partner Turkey. Obama also said that he would work to improve the relations between Turkey and the United States. Pointing to Turkish-U.S. relations in his election campaign, Obama said that terrorist organization PKK expanded its activities as a result of the Bush administration's wrong Iraq policy.

--THERE IS NO VIOLENCE, IT CANNOT BE CLOSED DOWN
"AKP did not use force and therefore it cannot be closed down," said the Turkish Constitutional Court in the reasoned verdict of the closure case filed against the ruling party. The court stated in the decision that political parties could not be closed down if they did not have any intentions against democracy and they did not encourage violence.