The good old days?

the economist
Turkey in the Balkans
Talk of an Ottoman revival in the region seems exaggerated

Nov 5th 2011

BELGRADE AND SARAJEVO
from the print edition
“SARAJEVO won today as much as Istanbul,” declared Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s prime minister, after his election victory in June. His comment excited new debate in the western Balkans about Turkey’s activist foreign policy. Are the Ottomans coming back? Several examples suggest not.

read more: the economist
http://www.economist.com/node/21536647

Bosnia, Revisited: Turkey’s Gains, Challenges and Future Aspirations

balkan analysis
July 12, 2011
By Maja Šoštarić in Sarajevo*
“Sarajevo is a miracle (…). If you understand Sarajevo, you can understand all the Ottoman history. Because it is, according to the saying, [true that] if you understand a person you can understand that century.”
Is this a new slogan of the Bosnian chamber of commerce? Or was it perhaps taken out of some Sarajevo guidebook? Not quite. The author is Ahmet Davutoğlu, Foreign Minister of Turkey, and the paragraph stems from his speech at the opening ceremony of a conference entitled “The Ottoman Legacy and Balkan Muslim Communities Today,” held in Sarajevo in October 2009. After that conference, Mr Davutoğlu was harshly criticized by detractors for his alleged neo-Ottomanism in relation to the Balkans....more....
read more: balkan analysis
http://www.balkanalysis.com/turkey/2011/07/12/bosnia-revisited-turkey%E2%80%99s-gains-challenges-and-future-aspirations/

The rise of Turkey in the Balkans

se times
11/07/2011

From economics to culture, many see the country taking on the role of a new regional power
By Misko Taleski for Southeast European Times in Skopje -- 11/07/11
Over the past decade, Turkey has carried out a multi-dimensional and multi-regional foreign policy. With its EU membership prospects in limbo, the country has not only looked to the east, but also towards its "near abroad" in the Balkans....more...
read more: se times
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/articles/2011/07/11/reportage-01

Dodik ramps up rhetoric against Turkey's role

se times
08/07/2011

Is Turkey helping to deepen or bridge the BiH divide?
By Vedrana Durakovic for Southeast European Times -- 08/07/11
Republika Srpska's goal is to defend itself from Turkish domination and neo-Ottomanism, a recent article in the Serbian daily Vecernji List quoted RS President Milorad Dodik as saying.

While the debate on neo-Ottomanism is on-going, Dodik responded to a specific post-election victory comment by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which sparked heated emotions in BiH and other parts of the region....more...
read more: se times
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2011/07/08/feature-03

Turkish businesses make inroads in Kosovo, Albania

se times
02/07/2011

Turkish investment in Kosovo and Albania forges closer ties between the countries' governments and businesses.
By Linda Karadaku for Southeast European Times in Pristina and Tirana -- 02/07/11
Turkish businesses have successfully penetrated Balkan markets. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Kosovo and Albania, where investments in the countries' banks, airports, schools and healthcare institutions are yielding mutual benefits....more....
read more: se times
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2011/07/02/feature-01

Erdogan et le « néo-osmanisme » turc

le monde.fr


11 juin 2011


« Erdogan, peurs et espoirs » : rarement une campagne électorale dans un pays voisin aura été suivie avec autant d’attention en Bulgarie. Car, malgré leur proximité géographique et leur histoire souvent imbriquée, les voisins balkaniques – les komshije – ne se connaissent pas. Ou du moins, pas en profondeur : les autres n’existent que par leur présence (ou absence) dans des ensembles géopolitiques plus vastes, comme les institutions euro-atlantiques......more....
read more: le monde.fr
http://balkans.blog.lemonde.fr/2011/06/11/erdogan-et-le-neo-osmanisme-turc/

Bulgaria, Turkey Agree to Speed Up Gas Grid Connection

balkan insight
10 JUN 2011 / 10:39

Bulgaria and Turkey have agreed to speed up the construction of a gas grid interconnection between the two countries, their energy ministers said on Thursday.
Novinite (Sofia Press Agency)



Bulgarian Energy Minister Traicho Traikov met on Thursday with his Turkish counterpart Taner Yildiz in Kayseri, Turkey, where they took part in the signing of the Project Support Agreements (PSAs) between Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH and the responsible ministries of the pipeline's five transit countries.


read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bulgaria-turkey-agree-to-speed-up-gas-grid-connection

FM attends multilateral meetings in Turkey

b92.net
Politics

Tuesday 10.05.2011
09:34
Source: Tanjug

BELGRADE -- Serbian FM Vuk Jeremić will visit Turkey on Tuesday, where he will take part in two multilateral meetings in Istanbul, the Foreign Ministry stated on Monday....more...
read more: b92.net
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=05&dd=10&nav_id=74249

Turkey, Bulgaria Plan Bullet Train Connection

balkan insight
09 May 2011 / 12:37

Bulgaria and Turkey are planning the launch of a bullet train between Sofia and Edirne, according to the director general of the Turkish State Railways.
 Novinite (Sofia News Agency) Suleyman Karaman, who is also the chairman of the Board of the Turkish Railways, told Bulgarian National Radio that transport ministers of the two countries recently held talks on the project, saying Turkey is ready to go forward with the project and is waiting for the Bulgarian side....more...

read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/turkey-bulgaria-plan-bullet-train-connection

Serbia to send member of Kurdish Hezbollah to Turkey

b92.net
Crime & War crimes

Sunday 1.05.2011
12:45
Source: Tanjug

BELGRADE -- Interior Minister Ivica Dačić says a member of the Kurdish Hezbollah, arrested yesterday, will be sent to Turkey if that country requests his extradition. ...more...
read more: b92.net
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/crimes-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=05&dd=01&nav_id=74095

Suspected member of Turkish Hezbollah arrested

b92.net
Crime & War crimes

Saturday 30.04.2011
15:09
Source: Tanjug

BELGRADE -- Two persons, one of whom is suspected to be a member of the Turkish terrorist organization Hezbollah, were arrested Friday night. ...more...
read more: b92.net
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/crimes-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=04&dd=30&nav_id=74086

Without reconciliation in Sandzak despite initiatives from Karadjordjevo

blic online

Conflict between Islamic communities in Serbia gets international frame

28. 04. 2011. - 00:02h
Komentara: 0

Turkey might mediate in easing tensions in Sandzak by giving investments to this region but also by showing for the first time interest to communicate with Muamer Zukorlic, Mufti of the Islamic Community in Serbia, ‘Blic’ sources claim....more...

read more: blic online
http://english.blic.rs/In-Focus/7600/Without-reconciliation-in-Sandzak-despite-initiatives-from-Karadjordjevo

Dodik Questions Turkey's Presence in Bosnia

balkan insight
28 Apr 2011 / 13:14

Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik says that Turkey's participation at the trilateral meeting in Serbia on Tuesday represents the country's attempt to fix the impression that it only supports the Bosniak community.
Bojana Barlovac

Belgrade
B92, Balkan Insight...more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/dodik-turkey-tries-to-improve-impression-on-presence-in-bosnia

No neo-Ottoman policy in Balkans, Turkish FM says

b92.net
Politics

Thursday 28.04.2011
11:36
Source: Tanjug

BELGRADE -- Turkey's FM Ahmet Davutoglu says Serbia and Turkey are the key countries in the region and denied allegations of running a neo-Ottoman policy in the Balkans. ...more...
read more: b92.net
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=04&dd=28&nav_id=74044

RS president on trilateral summit, RS referendum

b92.net
Region

Thursday 28.04.2011
12:45
Source: B92

BELGRADE -- Republic of Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik has stated that Turkey tried to improve the impression that it is “unilaterally” present in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Dodik also stressed that Serbia should not interfere with Bosnia-Herzegovina’s political situation. ...more...
read more: b92.net
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=04&dd=28&nav_id=74046

Trilateral meeting participants on Sandžak

b92.net
Politics

Wednesday 27.04.2011
11:03
Source: Tanjug

KARAĐORĐEVO -- Serbian, Bosnian and Turkish leaders who met yesterday addressed the issue of Serbia's southwestern area of Sandžak, which is home to a large Muslim population.
The region spreads in three countries: Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia, while in Serbia it coincides with the administrative District of Raška....more...
read more: b92.net
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=04&dd=27&nav_id=74024

Trilateral summit sparks opposing reactions

b92.net
Politics

Wednesday 27.04.2011
11:52
Source: B92, Tanjug, VIP

BELGRADE -- The conclusions from trilateral summit between Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Turkey have sparked different reactions.
Republic of Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik was not particularly impressed with the meeting, while Islamic Community in Serbia Chief Mufti Muamer Zukorlić was satisfied. ...more...
read more: b92.net
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=04&dd=27&nav_id=74026

Serbian, Bosnian, Turkish leaders meet

b92.net
Politics

Tuesday 26.04.2011
17:46
Source: B92, Beta

BELGRADE -- A summit of top officials from Serbia, Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina was held on Tuesday in the resort of Karađorđevo, northwestern Serbia.
Serbian President Boris Tadić, Turkish President Abdullah Gul and the tripartite presidency of Bosnia, including Serb, Muslim and Croat members, Nebojša Radmanović, Bakir Izetbegović and Željko Komšić, all took part....more...
read more: b92.net
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?mm=4&dd=26&yyyy=2011

Turkish economic help for peace in Sandzak

blic online

Serbia-BiH-Turkey summit at Karadjordjevo

‘Blic’ team

27. 04. 2011. - 00:02h
Komentara: 0

The goal of Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s visit to Karadjordjevo is mediation in settlement of the problem in Sandzak, ‘Blic’ learns from well informed source. According to that source Turkey is ready to offer huge economic benefits to Serbia. ...more...

read more: blic online
http://english.blic.rs/News/7593/Turkish-economic-help-for-peace-in-Sandzak

Turkish company too gives up purchase of ‘JAT’

blic online

Tender for sale of national carrier to be called in May

26. 04. 2011. - 00:02h
Komentara: 0

Tender for sale of the national carrier ‘JAT Airways’ should be called between May 15 and 20 as per plan by the ‘Deloitte’ consulting agency. If things go well and the national carrier gets a strategic partner, a new company might start working in March of 2012, ‘Blic’ learns from sources close to the ‘JAT’. The key request set to future partner is fleet renewal....more...

read more: blic online
http://english.blic.rs/In-Focus/7590/Turkish-company-too-gives-up-purchase-of-JAT