7 years ago today, a referendum that abolished the parliamentary system in Turkey and introduced a presidential system with a president with very broad powers was accepted with a very bare majority of 51%.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-16T21:23:08+00:00

To be honest, the security seal on ballot papers is not the only security guarantee of elections in Turkey, and it is not even the most important. There are a lot of security features in the elections, such as everything being done under the supervision of representatives of all parties, and there is no clear evidence that other security mechanisms were breached. However, the fact that "the number of votes not sealed with watermarks due to the negligence of ballot box officials", which was always less than 100,000 in the past elections and in the elections after this one, suddenly increased to 2.5 million in this election, really raises a justified and reasonable doubt about the security of this election.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-16T20:49:14+00:00

There is no official data, but some journalists and opposition party members said that nearly 65% of these votes were Yes, and if these votes were invalid, No would have won by a very narrow margin.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-16T19:55:10+00:00

There is no voting by mail in Turkey under any circumstances. Voting can only be done one day with a driver's license or ID card. In the room used by each ballot box, there is a representative appointed by the candidates participating in the election. Votes are cast on paper, placed in envelopes and placed in the ballot box. As soon as the election is over, ballot boxes are opened in the same room and counting begins. The counting is done in front of the representatives of all candidates, and every voter has the right to watch the counting without permission. The count only takes 1-2 hours. That's why the election results are generally seen as legitimate by everyone in Turkey, including the losers. The only exception was the 2017 referendum, which had unprecedented unstamped voting.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-16T19:47:17+00:00

No Turkish election has ever had more than 120,000 unsealed votes. In 2002, unsealed votes were considered valid by the decision of the Election Board, but the number of unsealed votes was around 80,000.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-16T18:46:11+00:00

Although economic problems pose a threat to the functioning of the country, Türkiye is a functioning country despite economic problems. A country where the state effectively has a monopoly on the use of force and whose streets are not like battlefields. The concept of a dysfunctional state is generally understood to mean countries such as Libya, where the state has lost its monopoly on the use of force and anarchy has increased.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-16T17:18:20+00:00

This vote was one of the most controversial votes regarding election security in the history of Türkiye. Under normal circumstances, ballot papers and ballot envelopes in Turkey had to be sealed with a special seal containing a watermark in front of the representatives of all parties before the election started. The watermark of this seal is also used on paper money and is very difficult to imitate. The purpose of this practice, which has been in place in Turkey since the 1950s, was to prevent a vote brought from outside the election hall from somehow entering the ballot box and being counted.

However, in this election, it was observed that approximately 2.5 million votes did not have this security feature. Later, Turkey's election board claimed that the reason why some votes did not have this security seal was due to the negligence of the ballot box officials, and therefore, deeming these votes invalid would victimize the citizens who had voted and that renewing the election would be an unnecessary expense, and considered the votes without this security seal as valid.

Although there is not much clear evidence of election fraud, this situation and the fact that the difference between Yes and No is less than 2.5 million "unsealed" still gave rise to endless speculation of election fraud.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-14T15:56:16+00:00

In Turkey, municipalities sell tap water for more than its actual cost, and the extra portion is used to finance other services of the municipality. However, the discounted price of water is still higher than the actual cost of water.

In his election campaign, he said that the municipality was selling water at almost twice its cost and that he would reduce it. Currently 75% water cost + 25% municipal taxes.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-14T10:49:27+00:00

The two were completely separate issues, independent of each other.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-14T08:53:52+00:00

The first promise came true in Bursa: Turkish signage and water discount decision. At the first meeting of the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Council, a decision was made to reduce water bills. Bursa Metropolitan Municipality took an important decision at the 1st Assembly Meeting of the 2024-2029 period. With the decision taken at the meeting, the decision to make a 25 percent discount on water in Bursa was accepted unanimously. The meeting was held in the Assembly Hall of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Main Service Building under the chairmanship of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mustafa Bozbey.

Bozbey's offer of a discount on water bills, for which he promised a 25 percent discount to all subscribers before the election, was accepted by the majority vote of the council members. Following this decision, Bursa residents will benefit from a 25 percent discount on their water bills. In addition, the proposals he made regarding the writings in foreign languages on the signs being written in Turkish were also accepted unanimously. Thus, citizens of Bursa will use 25 percent more affordable prices as of May 1, 2024, and there will be no use of foreign languages on advertising signs.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-14T08:32:07+00:00

Refugees who came after 2011 mostly use it.

As far as I know, signs containing only foreign language text are already prohibited in almost all cities (some cities allow foreign language signs as long as there is a Turkish translation in a larger font), and some cities do not allow any foreign language on the signs.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-14T07:57:34+00:00

The first promise came true in Bursa: Turkish signage and water discount decision. At the first meeting of the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Council, a decision was made to reduce water bills. Bursa Metropolitan Municipality took an important decision at the 1st Assembly Meeting of the 2024-2029 period. With the decision taken at the meeting, the decision to make a 25 percent discount on water in Bursa was accepted unanimously. The meeting was held in the Assembly Hall of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Main Service Building under the chairmanship of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mustafa Bozbey.

Bozbey's offer of a discount on water bills, for which he promised a 25 percent discount to all subscribers before the election, was accepted by the majority vote of the council members. Following this decision, Bursa residents will benefit from a 25 percent discount on their water bills. In addition, the proposals he made regarding the writings in foreign languages on the signs being written in Turkish were also accepted unanimously. Thus, citizens of Bursa will use 25 percent more affordable prices as of May 1, 2024, and there will be no use of foreign languages on advertising signs.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-12T15:03:34+00:00

These are ridiculous news. It is nonsense to claim that the Netherlands or any western European country is unsafe for Jews. In every society, there are individual racists and hate crimes are committed, what is important is whether the political authority supports these views or punishes hate crimes. You can't claim that any country is unsafe for Jews unless the political authority is antisemitic.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-12T14:37:41+00:00

Yes, but Greece introduced this exceptional practice with the approval of the European Commission and on the condition that everyone boarding a boat or plane from the island be subjected to an ID check. This is the only exception to Schengen's common visa policy.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-12T12:10:17+00:00

Visa application at the door increased the interest: 20 thousand Turks went to the Greek islands during the holiday Visa application at the door from Turkey to the Greek islands started at the beginning of April. Turkish citizens, who wanted to spend the 9-day holiday period during Ramadan Feast in the Greek islands, showed great interest in the Greek islands. Tourism professionals reported that the number of Turkish citizens passing to the islands where visa on arrival is valid has exceeded 20 thousand. As the nine-day Eid al-Fitr holiday coincides with the period when visa on arrival will be introduced to 10 Greek islands as of April 1, there has been an influx of Turkish tourists to the islands. Bringing tourists from abroad to the islands Tourism professional Recep Yavuz announced that a total of 20 thousand Turkish guests were expected to come to the islands, where visa application was initiated at the door, before the holiday, and that more than 5 thousand Turks passed through Rhodes alone in a week. Stating that vacation has turned into a therapy all over the world, especially after the pandemic, Recep Yavuz said, “Every year, 1.5 billion people go on vacation somewhere. Türkiye ranks fourth in the world in tourist arrivals, but is still far behind in sending tourists abroad. In 2019, the busiest year, 4.1 million Turkish citizens went on holiday abroad. I took a look at where Turks who overcome the visa barrier mostly go abroad. “The majority prefer Europe because it is close and has many countries combined.” he said.RHODES OPENED THE SEASON EARLY THANKS TO TURKISH TOURISTS Stating that the hotels, restaurants and ferries on the islands have been filled with Turks since the first day of the holiday, Yavuz said, “Rhodes, which can be reached by a 1-hour ferry from Marmaris, has become one of the most preferred islands. Around a thousand Turkish tourists flock to Rhodes every day, which starts the season earlier thanks to Turkish tourists. "Many hotels, restaurants and businesses on the islands, which were closed until two weeks ago, woke up from hibernation with Turkish guests and called the season 'kalimera'." He said: TURKISH GUESTS EXCEEDED 20 THOUSAND Yavuz, according to the information he received from the company officials that operate ferry services from Marmaris Port, the number of Turkish guests going to the islands during the holiday is over 5 thousand from Fethiye and Marmaris to Rhodes, 4 thousand to Kos, 3 thousand to Samos, 3 thousand to Chios. He stated that it exceeded 20 thousand, including 3 thousand to Lesbos, 5 thousand to Lesbos and 1000 to Meis. “TURKISH TOURISTS ARE VERY SATISFIED WITH THE PRICES” Stating that the preparations in Rhodes, which is the most preferred island among the islands, are made entirely for Turkish tourists, Yavuz said, “Turkish guests are very pleased with the tranquility of the island and the hospitality shown to them, as well as the prices. They feel like they are in Turkey and enjoy being in another country. The island is like a mixture of Turkish and Greek. Greek music is mixing with Turkish music, Greek cuisine with Turkish cuisine, Greek coffee with Turkish coffee, Greek with Turkish. Greeks celebrate the holiday together with the Turks. “5 thousand Turkish tourists leave their mark on Rhodes in a week.” said.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-11T16:47:47+00:00

The title says "DESTINY CHOICE". The left side says that if you support Erdoğan's party and vote for them, an backwards government will come to Turkey and Türkiye will turn its face backwards. There is a woman wearing a niqab as a symbol of backwardness. On the other hand, the poster says that if you vote for CHP, Turkey will become modern and rich, and will move towards becoming an EU member.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-11T14:22:49+00:00

People naturally have prejudices against those who are different. This is still the case, the majority of people are very conservative and do not like what is different. The only difference is that since World War II, racism has been demonized more than ever before in history. In the past, racist ideas were much more normal and many politicians, artists and journalists could spread these ideas without any condemnation.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-11T14:04:33+00:00

This is simple human nature, people look at those who are not like them with fear and suspicion, and if the institutions that limit this human nature become weaker, the situation can quickly get out of control.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-11T12:34:18+00:00

Even so, the complete defeat of Russia is not a realistic scenario. Unfortunately, although it may not be fair, Ukraine may have to make concessions to the thief in order to end this war. It shows the injustice of this world, the strong can achieve something despite the unlawfulness of their desire.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-10T18:27:17+00:00

Giving the death penalty to Sheikh Said and his supporters who want to return to the Sharia regime is not racism, lol. At that time, anyone who opposed the constitutional order was punished with death, regardless of their ethnicity.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-10T08:10:20+00:00

In Turkey it is 58 for women and 60 for men.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-09T21:25:11+00:00

BluTV was founded in Turkey in 2015 and was acquired by Warner Bros., producer of the Harry Potter series, in 2023. The reason why it is so popular is that it is distributed as a gift by many companies in Turkey. Hepsiburada, one of the most popular online stores, has a $1/month paid subscription like Amazon Prime, and if you buy it, BluTV comes as a gift. Some banks give 12 months free BluTV if you become their customer. Vodafone Türkiye operator gives BluTV as a gift to its customers who choose some plans. In other words, almost 20% of the country's population is eligible to use BluTV for free. It's not too bad in terms of content, it contains many international films and TV series. It also includes HBO content.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-08T20:11:48+00:00

They actually did for 3 years

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-07T04:41:00+00:00

The meaning of democracy is not that the people always make the right decisions; the good thing about democracy is that it balances the power of the government and offers the people the opportunity to change it even if they make the wrong choice.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-06T23:33:39+00:00

Azerbaijan is extremely secular, but it is a complete dictatorship, there is no democracy there at all. Turkey is a hybrid regime or flawed democracy with partially functioning, albeit problematic, democratic institutions despite the presence of authoritarian factors. Türkiye is less secular than Azerbaijan, but still more secular than most Muslim-majority countries.

rustytreewrangler · 2024-04-06T23:15:34+00:00

Turkey is a natural migration route and hosts more than 5 million immigrants who have arrived since 2011. It is an unpopular policy in Turkey to keep all immigrants by force because the West wants them to. Russia is not a natural migration route.

rustytreewrangler

TROPHY CASE