Mehmet Şimşek

This year and the next few months are going to be critical regarding the future of Turkey’s critical Kurdish problem.

Both the government and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) are heading toward a make-it or break-it stage after the two-year-old exhausting dialogue in between the two.

Turkey’s Housing Development Administration (TOKİ), which has gained notoriety for its massive housing projects in recent years, has refused to divulge the cost of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s new palace on the grounds that the move “could hurt the economy.”

Pope Francis is set to be the first house guest at Turkey's new presidential palace during a visit to Turkey at the end of the month.

As the cost of Turkey’s new presidential palace, unofficially known as the “Ak Saray” continues to stir controversy due to its astronomical cost in tandem with its gargantuan size, restoration work on an old palace that is reportedly set to become the president’s office in Istanbul has ended.

Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç has commented on the amount of money spent on the construction of the controversial new presidential palace, otherwise known as "Ak Saray," admitting that the amount was “not small” and “could be discussed.”

Turkey’s newly inaugurated presidential palace draws more criticism from the opposition, with references to Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and the 11th century assassin stronghold of Alamut Opposition parties have ramped up their objection to Turkey’s newly inaugurated presidential palace, set to cost more than half a billion Turkish Liras, likening the gargantuan complex to Romanian

The cost of Turkey’s controversial new presidential palace, which has been heavily criticized by the opposition for overspending, currently stands at 1.37 billion Turkish Liras ($615 million), surpassing earlier estimates, according to fresh data provided by Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek.

Turkey has spent over $600 million on a new presidential jet and presidential palace this year, Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek has revealed, noting that the budget purse strings will be loosened for the facility more next year.

The electronic billing system has saved 650 million Turkish Liras ($293 million) of extra costs and prevented 100,000 trees from being cut, Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek has announced.

Turkey’s economic predictability and stability have been proven by the latest decision of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to remove Turkey from its follow-up process, Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek said in a written statement Oct. 24.