Sabbateans

The president?s apparent reaction against a decision by the country?s intelligence chief to resign and run for parliament stems from the high opinion he has of Hakan Fidan, Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu has argued, while underlining Fidan?s right to make his own career decision.

The resignation of former National Intelligence Agency (M?T) Chief Hakan Fidan to run in the upcoming general elections shows that the agency has become politicized, main opposition Republican People?s Party (CHP) leader Kemal K?l?çdaro?lu has said.

?We were saying this before, but they were denying it. Now the truth has come to light,? K?l?çdaro?lu said on Feb. 11.

The decision by Hakan Fidan, Turkey?s former intelligence chief, to run for parliament as a candidate from the Justice and Development Party (AKP), has stirred the political cauldron. The fact that Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu wanted him to run, while President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an was vehemently opposed to this, has also resulted in much speculation.

The outgoing head of Turkey?s intelligence body attended a meeting under the prime minister over the ongoing Kurdish peace process, despite resigning from his post to run for parliament for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has said his confidant, National Intelligence Organization (M?T) Chief Hakan Fidan, resigned from his post to run for parliament for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) despite Erdo?an?s objection, as he wanted Fidan to remain in his crucial current post. 

It must be very difficult for a leader who likes to exercise authority like Turkish President Tayyip Erdo?an to admit publicly that he failed to convince Hakan Fidan, the powerful head of the National Intelligence Organization (M?T), to stay in office. ?Unfortunately,? Erdo?an told reporters accompanying him on his trip to Latin America, ?he said he could not continue any longer.?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an said on Feb. 8 he was unhappy with the decision of powerful intelligence chief Hakan Fidan to resign from his post and stand for parliament in June elections.
      
"I do not view Hakan Fidan's candidacy positively," Erdo?an said in televised comments at Istanbul airport before heading on a visit to Latin America.
      

The head of Turkey's intelligence service, Hakan Fidan, one of President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an's closest confidants, has resigned in order to run in a parliamentary election in June.

While word is going around that President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an?s daughter, Sümeyye Erdo?an, will run for office in the upcoming general elections in June, the names of several bureaucrats may also be pronounced.

ISTANBUL - Crvena Zvezda supporter Marko Ivkovic (25) was stabbed to death on Friday evening outside the sports arena in Istanbul where the Serbian basketball team played its Euroleague match against local Galatasaray.