The spy crisis between the U.K. and Russia is spilling across Europe and America, as a growing number of countries expel Russian diplomats in solidarity with London. Following the U.S.’s March 26 decision to expel 60 more Russian diplomats, 14 EU countries - including Germany, France, Italy and Poland – as well as Canada and Ukraine, decided to come up with a coordinated response aiming to deliver the biggest blow to Russian intelligence efforts in the West since the end of the Cold War.
Today is an important day not only for relations between Turkey and the European Union but also for democracy in Turkey and security in Europe.
The Cold War was assumed to be finally over with the disintegration of the Soviet Union in January 1992.
Press freedom has always been an issue between both those who run countries and those who live under their rule.
Today is Nevruz, which means “new day” in Persian and which marks the start of the new year for a number of peoples in Eurasia - from Azeris to Iranians to Kazakhs. It is also considered a key national day by Kurds across the region.
The Turkish military and Turkey-supported Free Syria Army (FSA) rebels entered the northwestern Syrian town of Afrin on March 18, almost two months after “Operation Olive Branch” started on Jan. 20.
Devlet Bahçeli was re-elected on Mar 18 as Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) head, even though he was the only candidate. In the former congress he had rivals, all of whom have now joined the Good Party (IYI), described by Bahçeli in yesterday’s speech as “dead weights thrown away.”
Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan gave two main foreign policy messages in his speech on March 16. One was addressed to the United States and the other was addressed to the European Union.
The EU term president, Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, will host Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan, European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in a meeting on March 26 in the Bulgarian Black Sea port of Varna.
