Turkey s Treasury was working last week on an ambitious but risky plan to reverse a crash in the currency that would only be launched if it crossed the absurd threshold of 18 to the dollar, according to four people with knowledge of discussions.
Bowing to Erdogan s pressure, Turkish Central Bank makes risky rate cut - Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East al-monitor.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from al-monitor.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
ANKARA: Turkey marked Working Journalists’ Day on Jan. 10 as media workers in the country face increasing curbs on press freedom.
Currently there are about 62 journalists in Turkish prisons, mostly facing trials under the Anti-Terror Law and Turkish Penal Code.
According to Press in Arrest, a volunteer group monitoring trials of Turkish journalists, at least 352 journalists have been prosecuted in 230 press trials over the past two and a half years.
The country ranked 154th among 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ 2020 World Press Freedom Index.
A report by Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) revealed that journalists appeared 479 times in court over the past year for their journalistic activities.
Saturday, 2 January, 2021 - 07:00
Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C), flanked by Ali Babacan (L) and Ahmet Davutoglu (R), in Ankara in 2014. (Reuters) Ankara - Saeed Abdulrazek
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is concerned with the growing popularity of former deputy prime minister Ali Babacan and his Democracy and Progress Party ahead of the 2023 parliamentary elections, revealed sources from the ruling Justice and Development party.
As a result, the president has sought to introduce change in the AK Party structure and policies in an attempt to avoid a setback in the polls, they added.
The pressure is on given the growing number of resignations from the party and the challenge mounted by opponents, including Babacan and former prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu.