German Chancellor Angela Merkel first met with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu at Prime Ministry Office in Dolmabahçe.
After the meeting, Davutoğlu and Merkel issued a joint declaration. Davutoğlu also announced that a similar meeting will be held in Jauary.
Here are some notes from Davutoğlu's speech:
"We talked over global and regional issues as well as touching Syrian conflict. We spoke about making call for all countries to be more sensitive. Illegal immigration is not an issue that a single country can solve, it is a global problem that requires cooperation of all countries. Today Turkey hosts more than 2 million Syrians and undertakes a cost of more than $7.5 billion."
"Merkel has acted in a humane manner"
"Mrs. Merkel has acted in an extremely humane manner. Joint working group between Turkey and Germany convened on October 15. The next one will take place in Berlin. What is important is to find two solutions."
"Readmission agreement solves the immigration issue"
"We, as Turkey are ready to work against human trafficking. Turkey has been attaching importance on a fair approach on the distribution of refugees. Turkey has been left alone in that.
We are happy with the new period entered by our bilateral discussions."
"Schengen to be put into effect in 2016"
"We are spending some serious efforts to finalize Schengen issue in 2016 that was initially planned for 2017. We hope by July of 2016, both readmission agreement and Schengen deal will go in effect."
Merkel-Erdoğan meeting
The German chancellor met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at Yıldız Palace after her meeting with Davutoğlu. Merkel speaking in the joint press conference following the meeting said, "Several working groups will be formed. Our next meeting will be at G-20 summit in Antalya."
Merkel: Share of inconvenience
Merkel said one of the important topics was the refugees directing towards Turkey and the West.
"We had some evaluations over share of inconvenience on this topic. They underlined that we need to help Turkey in terms of the burden Turkey has undertaken.
We also laid importance on the need of working together against terror groups, and made some evaluations on 15th, 17th, 23rd, and 31st chapters [of EU entrance negotiations]."
"The need for political solution in Syria"
"We especially assessed the subject of fighting against terrorism. We talked over the requirement of political solution in Syria, and we've come to terms to discuss these matters again. We also discussed that Turkey has taken on an important task by receiving more than 2 million refugees.
"We observe that this immigration movement might increase and this movement may flow towards Europe over Turkey. In this respect, we defend Turkey needs to be supported." (BK/TK)
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Photo: Hakan Göktepe, Berk Özkan/ AA, Mustafa Aktaş / Prime Ministry
Hatay after earthquakes: Changing priorities and problems
As Hatay continues its reconstruction process after the devastating losses of the February 6 earthquakes, housing, education, healthcare, and economic struggles persist alongside new emerging issues.
Saray Street in Antakya town center. (Vecih Cuzdan/bianet)
In Hatay, the province that suffered the most devastation and lost over 24,000 lives in the February 6 and 20 earthquakes, ongoing problems continue to shift priorities.
In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, urgent needs such as tents, food, and drinking water took precedence. As time passed, housing became the primary concern. Tents were replaced by container shelters, and 228,000 people still live in them. However, fundamental issues like healthcare, education, and access to clean water persist. To address the housing crisis, the government has implemented TOKİ housing projects, designated reserve areas, and on-site reconstruction models.
Housing projects and reserve area challenges
Infrastructure and clean water shortages are prominent issues in areas where TOKİ housing projects are being built. Additionally, because these projects are far from city centers, many earthquake survivors are reluctant to move into TOKİ residences unless absolutely necessary.
Those opting for the on-site reconstruction model face a different set of challenges. Due to the high cost of construction in Hatay, the financial support provided by the government—750,000 liras in grants, 750,000 liras in loans, and 40,000 liras for architectural project expenses, totaling 1,540,000 TL—is insufficient to rebuild homes. As a result, homeowners must take on an additional 790,000 liras in debt, along with extra costs ranging from 300,000 liras to 1.5 million liras.
Taking advantage of this situation, some contractors are drafting legal agreements that reflect lower costs on paper, potentially misleading homeowners. Many fail to thoroughly review contract details, which is expected to lead to increasing disputes and lawsuits in the future. If the government or relevant institutions do not intervene, contractor fraud—seen in previous construction projects—may become widespread in the earthquake zone, further exacerbating the hardships of survivors.
Defne Armutlu Neighborhood construction site, Feb 5, 2025. (bianet)
The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change’s Urban Transformation Directorate has announced that those who fail to obtain construction permits by June 30 will no longer be eligible for grants and loans. This puts pressure on earthquake survivors to quickly sign contracts with contractors, increasing the likelihood of problematic agreements.
Meanwhile, Hatay Metropolitan Municipality’s approved 1/1000 zoning plans are still in the public objection phase, which, if contested, could extend the process into April. Since obtaining construction permits takes two to three months, the June 30 deadline appears unrealistic. Forcing earthquake survivors into such a tight timeline risks depriving them of their housing rights or pushing them into legally questionable, high-cost agreements with contractors.
Education challenges
In districts like Antakya, Defne, Samandağ, and Kırıkhan, some school buildings are still being used by other public institutions. As a result, students are forced to study under worse conditions than before the earthquake. They are expected to be at a disadvantage in upcoming exams, likely performing worse than their peers.
According to Eğitim-Sen’s report, "The State of Students and Education Workers in the Earthquake Zone on the Second Anniversary of the February 6 Earthquakes," school enrollment rates in Hatay have dropped significantly, with the number of students decreasing by 65,248. Ministry of National Education (MEB) data also shows that 6,343 teachers in the region are still living in container shelters.
Frequent power and water outages negatively affect the learning environment. Due to the shift-based education system, students must leave for school in the early hours of the morning while it is still dark and return home late in the evening. Moreover, the cancellation of free school meals for preschoolers—even in the earthquake zone—has worsened the problem of malnutrition among children.
The report underscores the urgent need for the Ministry of National Education to implement policies that reduce educational inequality and swiftly address infrastructure issues.
Cemalettin Tınaztepe Middle School amid rubble in Antakya, Feb 3, 2025. (bianet)
Health issues
Health problems in the earthquake zone remain unresolved. Unregulated demolitions and reconstruction efforts have worsened air pollution, increasing the risk of respiratory diseases. Reports indicate a rise in infant and child mortality, while mental health issues in the region have reached a critical level.
According to the "February 2023 Earthquakes: 2nd Year Report" by the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) and the Health and Social Service Workers’ Union (SES), the uncertainty surrounding the future and life in container settlements have severely impacted the community’s mental well-being. The report highlights widespread psychological distress due to uncertainty, hopelessness, and insecurity about the future. It also points out that critical Community Mental Health Centers—essential for monitoring chronic psychiatric illnesses—are still absent in Hatay’s central districts, Defne and Antakya.
A commemoration event in İskenderun, 2025. (AA)
Small businesses and economic hardships
Small business owners in the earthquake-affected areas are facing severe challenges. The temporary prefabricated markets set up for shopkeepers are expected to be relocated to reserve areas or other locations in the future, forcing business owners to keep changing addresses. This instability risks driving away their customer base and further reducing their income. Many shopkeepers have already left for other cities, while those who remain are becoming increasingly financially vulnerable.
A major uncertainty for local businesses is whether the Ministry of Treasury and Finance will extend the "force majeure" status, initially declared in December 2022 for businesses with an annual revenue of up to 2.5 million TL. Large corporations are less affected by this issue, but if the "force majeure" designation is lifted, small businesses will bear the brunt, leading to significant financial strain and broader socio-psychological consequences.
Antakya town center. (bianet)
Traffic and other urban problems
Following the February 6 earthquakes, certain districts in Hatay experienced a major influx of new residents. Population growth in Erzin, Dörtyol, Payas, Belen, and Arsuz, particularly in İskenderun, has led to new urban challenges. In İskenderun, the daytime population has nearly doubled, making traffic one of the most pressing issues.
Beyond basic needs, the overall emotional state of the population has also been severely impacted. Observers note that people walking in the streets appear visibly unhappy, with expressions of distress. This widespread sense of unhappiness has begun affecting personal relationships and the community’s overall mental health. (AB/VC/VK)
İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has been formally indicted over his recent remarks on the province's chief public prosecutor.
The İstanbul 14th Heavy Penal court accepted the indictment today, scheduling the first hearing for Apr 14. The mayor faces a prison sentence from 2 years and 8 months to 7 years and 4 months and a ban from politics for "insulting a public official due to their duty," "threat" and "marking a counterterrorism official as a targe for terro groups."
The case stems from comments İmamoğlu made during a speech last month, where he said, addressing Akın Gürlek, the chief prosecutor, that "we'll erase the mentality that guides you from this country."
Gürlek, who previously acted as the deputy justice minister and the presiding judge in several politically charged cases, has been strongly criticized by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) for allegedly acting in line with the government's political agenda. CHP politicians, including İmamoğlu, have also held Gürlek responsible for a series of recent investigations targeting İstanbul district municipalities run by the party.
The indictment, which cites Gürlek as the victim, İmamoğlu’s statements were an attempt to "pressure the judiciary" and "influence court decisions" by using his political status.
The prosecutors also argued that Gürlek was known to be a target for "terrorist orgnizations" due to his previous duties, and İmamoğlu marked him as a target for such groups in his speech, in addition to threatening the chief prosecutor. İmamoğlu’s remarks "included elements that could put Gürlek and his family at risk," according to the indictment.
Legal challenges against CHP and İmamoğlu
İmamoğlu and other CHP local governors have faced several investigations and cases in recent months, ranging from terrorism-related offenses to alleged irregularities in public tenders.
Mayors of the Esenyurt and Beşiktaş districts were remanded in custody in October and January, respectively, and replaced by government-appointed trustees.
During raids targeting 9 İstanbul district municipalities yesterday, several municipal councilors and two deputy district mayors were detained as part of a "terrorism" investigation.
İmamoğlu himself faces another investigation for "attempting to influence the judiciary" for his revelation that the same expert witness was involved in multiple investigations targeting CHP-run municipalities, including Beşiktaş and Esenyurt.
Since defeating the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in İstanbul’s 2019 municipal elections, ending the AKP and its predecessors’ 25-year control of the city, İmamoğlu has emerged as a prominent opposition figure and a potential rival to Erdoğan in future presidential elections.
In Dec 2022, a court sentenced İmamoğlu to two years in prison and a five-year political ban over allegedly insulting members of the Supreme Election Council in a 2019 speech. The opposition claimed his remarks were taken out of context. The verdict is currently under appeal. (VK)