Ergenekon tremors in politics

 It seems that the military as well is concerned, just like the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, leader Deniz Baykal, that the arrests are not "judicial" but "political." These "serious concerns" once again have become apparent when Başbuğ, who is known as the "ice warrior," met Erdoğan after a six-hour commanders’ summit. "Melting" period between the military and the AKP government concerning laicism has been replaced by "tension atmosphere" due to the latest detentions.

Apparently, the Ergenekon case will give birth to serious results not only at the top of the state but in political arena as well. Turkey will hold local polls on March 29. And general elections are almost four years away. The Ergenekon case will not come to conclusion by March 29. Therefore, the verdict will have no direct impact on the local elections. However, one easily can see that the Ergenekon case will likely be used as an election gimmick in campaign trials by the governing AKP and the main opposition CHP. The CHP gives the impression that they will focus on "corruption" and the AKP’s settling the score with the regime on the axis of the Ergenekon case. Or in a way, the fight between laics and anti-laics will hunt us again. The AKP, on the other hand, will voice their struggle with crime gangs and try to beat the CHP at this point.

It is impossible to see who will win what by adopting such approaches in the local polls. But it could be useful to share a comment on general elections that has already circled around the back doors of Parliament because by the time of the upcoming elections, which will be held in four years from now, the Ergenekon case will be concluded. And the verdict will be a key element to shape up both the government and the opposition in Turkey. If the claims in the case of the century, Ergenekon, are proven at the court, Baykal who volunteered to be advocate of this case will be in a difficult position. But if the court says the claims are baseless and especially if the detainee generals are set free, then Erdoğan saying "I am the prosecutor of this case" will have a difficult time to express himself. We could easily make the following prediction: Regardless of its conclusion, the Ergenekon will seriously shake politics.

SECOND ARTICLE

Parties reveal election budgets
Turkey is headed for local elections in March. Parties have already decided who to nominate for mayor candidates. The next in line is how much will be spent for election campaigns. A part of the parties have made the budget. The AKP earmarked 45 million Turkish lira as the CHP foresees a budget of 35 million lira. The Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, decides to spend 15 million lira, the Democratic Left Party, or DSP, 10 million lira, the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party, or DTP, 3.5 million lira, the Freedom and Democracy Party, or ÖDP, 250,000 lira, the Grand Unity Party, or BBP, 200,000 lira. In these figures, personal campaign expenditures of mayor candidates are not included of course.

In the meantime, through candidates the AKP has already met the half of 22.5 million lira fine that the Constitutional Court made them to pay for "being at the center of anti-laic discourses and activities." The AKP collected 12 million lira from a total of 15,913 candidates, reducing the burden to half.

THIRD ARTICLE

Minister opens up
The AKP government has launched the process to re-naturalize the late Turkish poet Nazım Hikmet Ran to become a Turkish citizen again. Culture Minister Ertuğrul Günay, who is a social democrat at heart and a well-known Nazım Hikmet admirer, read Nazım’s poems in the Cabinet meeting. Something unknown has also revealed in the process. State Minister Nimet Çubukçu announced admiration for Nazım Hikmet. Therefore, the number of Nazım Hikmet admirers in the Cabinet has increased to two. What about Erdoğan and the others? Though they read Nazım’s verses, they are actually fond of another Turkish poet, the late Necip Fazıl KısakürekÉ