Balkans: Turkish Courts Under Attack By Islamic Politicians

Archives

July 4, 2010: Turkey's constitutional referendum, scheduled for September 2010, may represent one of the Kemalists' last opportunities to stop the Justice and Development Party's (AKP) drive to dismantle the institutions established by Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic. The AKP is a moderate Islamist party and its leaders resent Ataturk's secular state. The AKP wants to limit the role of the judiciary in Turkey. The judiciary and military are charged, by design, with insuring Turkey remains a secular republic.

July 2, 2010: An attacker threw a hand grenade at a group of protesting Kosovar Serbs in the town of Mitrovica, Kosovo, killing one and wounding 11. Approximately 1000 Kosovar Serbs were protesting the opening of a Kosovo government office in Mitrovica. Many Kosovar Serbs want the northern part of Kosovo to be reunited with Serbia.

June 29, 2010: Sixteen people drowned trying to cross the Evros River in Turkey. The sixteen migrants were likely from Somalia. The migrants were attempting to enter Greece, which is a full member of the European Union. The EU estimates that around 300 people died trying to enter EU territory illegally in 2009. Getting over the Evros River border area is not easy, even when it isn't flooded. Minefields and other military obstacles cover parts of the border.

June 26, 2010: Moldova's president is under fire for proposing to remember the nation's annexation by the USSR. Moldova was annexed in June 1940 from Rumania. The president suggested the country refer to June 28 as “Soviet occupation day.” Needless to say, this irritates many left wingers (ie, former and not-quite former Communists) and ethnic Russians. It is supposed to irritate them. A number of Moldovans claim they are really Rumanians and would prefer that Moldova reunite with Rumania. However, a number of moderates also object to the proposal, because they see no good reason to incite Russia.

June 24, 2010: The Greek government reported it is thoroughly investigating the bombing that occurred on June 18. The bomb struck the police ministry and killed a senior security official. The building is also headquarters for Greece's intelligence agency (EYP).

June 23, 2010: Serbia challenged the European Union (EU) to openly tell Serbia if it ever intends to admit Serbia to the organization. Serbia's current ruling party was elected on a pro-EU platform.

June 17, 2010: The EULEX mission in Kosovo (EU police and judicial mission) arrested Bajram Asllani on Mitrovica (north Kosovo). Asllani was suspected of planning a terror attack in the United States (North Carolina). 

 

 

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   Contribute   Close