Fidan presses EU integration in Berlin as Istanbul's CHP record becomes the Erdoğan camp's evidence file
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, alongside German counterpart Johann Wadephul after the third Turkey-Germany Strategic Dialogue Mechanism meeting in Berlin, said the EU is "incomplete without Türkiye" and called Israel's interception of the 25-ship Global Sumud aid flotilla "piracy." At home, two new reports detailed graft, debt and service failures under former CHP Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu — who faces a 3,809-page indictment — and police detained 57 suspects in a tender-rigging probe at an Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality procurement subsidiary. Italian journalist Alessandro Mantovani aboard the flotilla appealed for European support before Israeli forces moved in.
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Fidan tells Berlin press conference the EU is 'incomplete without Türkiye' and calls Israel's Sumud flotilla interception 'piracy'
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking alongside German counterpart Johann Wadephul after the third Turkey-Germany Strategic Dialogue Mechanism meeting in Berlin on Monday, said the EU's accession track for Ankara should be handled "independently of political motives" and that excluding Türkiye from the bloc's defence and security initiatives "contradicts Europe's stated security objectives." He condemned Israel's interception of an estimated 25 ships in the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla as "piracy" and said safe return of activists, including Turkish nationals, was Ankara's top concern. On Iran, Fidan said there was "no immediate threat in practice" but warned that any resumption of the US-Iran war "would bring serious economic and political consequences for the region and beyond."
Reports detail graft, debt, and service failures under former CHP mayor Imamoğlu in Istanbul
Two new reports have exposed widespread corruption, mounting debt, and severe service failures in Istanbul under the seven-year rule of former CHP Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, who faces a 3,809-page indictment as the alleged leader of a criminal organization. The IBB Activity Report and 2025 Audit Commission Report revealed IETT buses suffered 65,527 breakdowns in 2025, while the municipality's total debt reached TL 336.9 billion. Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of 828 to 2,352 years for Imamoğlu over 142 alleged acts, with the first hearing held on March 9.
Italian journalist on Gaza flotilla calls for European support after Israeli attack
Italian journalist Alessandro Mantovani, a correspondent for Il Fatto Quotidiano aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, said Europeans should back efforts to end the Gaza siege. He spoke before Israeli forces attacked the flotilla in international waters, which the flotilla condemned as illegal piracy. The flotilla of 54 boats set sail from Marmaris, Türkiye, on May 14, 2026, carrying activists from 39 countries.
Turkey detains 57 in Istanbul municipality tender rigging probe
Turkish police detained 57 suspects on Monday in a corruption investigation into procurement processes at an Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality subsidiary, Boğaziçi Facility Management Services. Officers from the Istanbul Police Department's Financial Crimes Unit conducted simultaneous raids across six provinces, including Istanbul, Adana, and Bursa. The suspects are accused of bid rigging within an organized network, violating public procurement regulations.
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Every other event tracked in Turkey, with a one-line preview.
tr30Turkish consumer confidence hits 14-month high in May amid inflation and war pressures
Turkey's consumer confidence index rose to 85.8 in May, the highest in 14 months, driven by improved economic expectations despite high inflation (32.37%) and fallout from the Iran war disrupting energy supplies. The central bank raised its year-end inflation forecast to 26% and held interest rates at 37%.
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Turkish consumer confidence hits 14-month high in May amid inflation and war pressures
Turkey's consumer confidence index rose to 85.8 in May, the highest in 14 months, driven by improved economic expectations despite high inflation (32.37%) and fallout from the Iran war disrupting energy supplies. The central bank raised its year-end inflation forecast to 26% and held interest rates at 37%.
Turkey's consumer confidence index rose to 85.8 in May, the highest in 14 months, driven by improved economic expectations despite high inflation (32.37%) and fallout from the Iran war disrupting energy supplies. The central bank raised its year-end inflation forecast to 26% and held interest rates at 37%.
tr28Turkey widens anti-FETÖ operations across 11 provinces, detains 24 suspects
Turkish authorities detained 24 suspects in coordinated operations across 11 provinces targeting the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), focusing on operational phone lines and ByLock use within state institutions. The operations, centered in Ankara, followed the issuance of detention warrants. A separate operation in Gaziantep captured a fugitive FETÖ convict. The crackdown continues against the group blamed for the 2016 coup attempt.
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Turkey widens anti-FETÖ operations across 11 provinces, detains 24 suspects
Turkish authorities detained 24 suspects in coordinated operations across 11 provinces targeting the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), focusing on operational phone lines and ByLock use within state institutions. The operations, centered in Ankara, followed the issuance of detention warrants. A separate operation in Gaziantep captured a fugitive FETÖ convict. The crackdown continues against the group blamed for the 2016 coup attempt.
Turkish authorities detained 24 suspects in coordinated operations across 11 provinces targeting the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), focusing on operational phone lines and ByLock use within state institutions. The operations, centered in Ankara, followed the issuance of detention warrants. A separate operation in Gaziantep captured a fugitive FETÖ convict. The crackdown continues against the group blamed for the 2016 coup attempt.
tr25OTS summit in Turkistan adopts AI and digital development initiatives
The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) held an informal summit in Turkistan, Kazakhstan, on May 15, 2026, under the theme 'Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.' Leaders supported the development of a Turkish Large Language Model and the Digital Silk Road Project, including a Trans-Caspian Fibre-Optic Cable line between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. They also instructed the creation of an OTS Digital Innovation Center and a Cyber Security Council, as proposed by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Turkish President Erdoğan called for adding 'unity in digital vision' to the organization's motto. The combined population of OTS members is approximately 179 million, with a combined GDP of nearly $1.9 trillion. The summit signals the OTS's ambition to become a strategic actor in digital geopolitics, though implementation challenges remain.
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OTS summit in Turkistan adopts AI and digital development initiatives
The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) held an informal summit in Turkistan, Kazakhstan, on May 15, 2026, under the theme 'Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.' Leaders supported the development of a Turkish Large Language Model and the Digital Silk Road Project, including a Trans-Caspian Fibre-Optic Cable line between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. They also instructed the creation of an OTS Digital Innovation Center and a Cyber Security Council, as proposed by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Turkish President Erdoğan called for adding 'unity in digital vision' to the organization's motto. The combined population of OTS members is approximately 179 million, with a combined GDP of nearly $1.9 trillion. The summit signals the OTS's ambition to become a strategic actor in digital geopolitics, though implementation challenges remain.
The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) held an informal summit in Turkistan, Kazakhstan, on May 15, 2026, under the theme 'Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.' Leaders supported the development of a Turkish Large Language Model and the Digital Silk Road Project, including a Trans-Caspian Fibre-Optic Cable line between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. They also instructed the creation of an OTS Digital Innovation Center and a Cyber Security Council, as proposed by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Turkish President Erdoğan called for adding 'unity in digital vision' to the organization's motto. The combined population of OTS members is approximately 179 million, with a combined GDP of nearly $1.9 trillion. The summit signals the OTS's ambition to become a strategic actor in digital geopolitics, though implementation challenges remain.
tr18Türkiye inaugurates nanotech facility to boost water efficiency in agriculture
Türkiye has opened a production facility in Istanbul for NANOTERN, a domestically developed biodegradable nanomaterial that reduces irrigation water use by up to 50% and increases crop yields by up to 25%. Developed by ANT Systems after 15 years of research at Sabancı University, the technology is already deployed in Türkiye, the U.S., South America, Gulf countries, and Africa. The facility has an annual capacity of 3,000 tons, marking a shift from R&D to industrial-scale production. Officials and investors highlighted the technology's role in addressing global water stress and attracting younger generations to agriculture.
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Türkiye inaugurates nanotech facility to boost water efficiency in agriculture
Türkiye has opened a production facility in Istanbul for NANOTERN, a domestically developed biodegradable nanomaterial that reduces irrigation water use by up to 50% and increases crop yields by up to 25%. Developed by ANT Systems after 15 years of research at Sabancı University, the technology is already deployed in Türkiye, the U.S., South America, Gulf countries, and Africa. The facility has an annual capacity of 3,000 tons, marking a shift from R&D to industrial-scale production. Officials and investors highlighted the technology's role in addressing global water stress and attracting younger generations to agriculture.
Türkiye has opened a production facility in Istanbul for NANOTERN, a domestically developed biodegradable nanomaterial that reduces irrigation water use by up to 50% and increases crop yields by up to 25%. Developed by ANT Systems after 15 years of research at Sabancı University, the technology is already deployed in Türkiye, the U.S., South America, Gulf countries, and Africa. The facility has an annual capacity of 3,000 tons, marking a shift from R&D to industrial-scale production. Officials and investors highlighted the technology's role in addressing global water stress and attracting younger generations to agriculture.
tr15Turkish Airlines to resume Istanbul-Dubai flights on June 9
Turkish Airlines announced it will resume direct flights between Istanbul and Dubai on June 9, 2026, after suspending them due to airspace closures by some Middle Eastern countries following the outbreak of war between the US, Israel, and Iran on February 28, 2026.
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Turkish Airlines to resume Istanbul-Dubai flights on June 9
Turkish Airlines announced it will resume direct flights between Istanbul and Dubai on June 9, 2026, after suspending them due to airspace closures by some Middle Eastern countries following the outbreak of war between the US, Israel, and Iran on February 28, 2026.
Turkish Airlines announced it will resume direct flights between Istanbul and Dubai on June 9, 2026, after suspending them due to airspace closures by some Middle Eastern countries following the outbreak of war between the US, Israel, and Iran on February 28, 2026.
tr13Romania Justifies Warship Acquisition Through SAFE Over Damen Offer
The Romanian Ministry of Defence issued a press release on May 12, 2026, justifying its selection of the SAFE program for two MMPV 90 offshore patrol vessels over a lower-cost Damen offer. The MoD stated that Damen's MOPV 2600 design did not meet technical requirements, particularly for anti-submarine warfare, and excluded key systems such as fire control radar, sonar, close-in weapon systems, and combat management systems. The total program cost rose to €920 million, up from an earlier estimate of €757 million, with funding increases linked to investments in the bankrupt Damen Mangalia shipyard. The MMPV 90, based on NVL Group's design, will be built in Romania and configured as light corvettes with advanced electronics and weaponry, differing from Bulgaria's variant. The decision followed earlier acquisition of a Turkish Hisar-class OPV in December 2025.
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Romania Justifies Warship Acquisition Through SAFE Over Damen Offer
The Romanian Ministry of Defence issued a press release on May 12, 2026, justifying its selection of the SAFE program for two MMPV 90 offshore patrol vessels over a lower-cost Damen offer. The MoD stated that Damen's MOPV 2600 design did not meet technical requirements, particularly for anti-submarine warfare, and excluded key systems such as fire control radar, sonar, close-in weapon systems, and combat management systems. The total program cost rose to €920 million, up from an earlier estimate of €757 million, with funding increases linked to investments in the bankrupt Damen Mangalia shipyard. The MMPV 90, based on NVL Group's design, will be built in Romania and configured as light corvettes with advanced electronics and weaponry, differing from Bulgaria's variant. The decision followed earlier acquisition of a Turkish Hisar-class OPV in December 2025.
The Romanian Ministry of Defence issued a press release on May 12, 2026, justifying its selection of the SAFE program for two MMPV 90 offshore patrol vessels over a lower-cost Damen offer. The MoD stated that Damen's MOPV 2600 design did not meet technical requirements, particularly for anti-submarine warfare, and excluded key systems such as fire control radar, sonar, close-in weapon systems, and combat management systems. The total program cost rose to €920 million, up from an earlier estimate of €757 million, with funding increases linked to investments in the bankrupt Damen Mangalia shipyard. The MMPV 90, based on NVL Group's design, will be built in Romania and configured as light corvettes with advanced electronics and weaponry, differing from Bulgaria's variant. The decision followed earlier acquisition of a Turkish Hisar-class OPV in December 2025.