Zaman: In a front-page story yesterday, the daily reported on an ethnically Turkish European politician's criticism of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), which recently took a piece of legislation that requires civilian courts try members of the military during peacetime to the Constitutional Court. German Green Party Co-Chairman Cem Özdemir said the CHP's move did not comply with the principles of social democracy or the Copenhagen criteria. Indicating that the CHP's approach to democracy and reform makes him feel surprised and worried, Özdemir said: “Despite all the political differences, it is necessary to reach a consensus about fundamental issues in Turkey. Without this consensus, it is very difficult for Turkey to progress toward EU membership and protect its political and economic stability in the midst of the ongoing global financial crisis.” Özdemir said the CHP has serious problems regarding modernization and approaching the West, added the daily. Milliyet: “European Capital of Culture failed the class,” read the headline of the daily's main story yesterday, which reported that the results of the Student Selection Examination (ÖSS) reveal that Turkey's most unsuccessful and inadequate schools are in İstanbul, which has been selected a 2010 European Capital of Culture. While the level of ÖSS success was around 80 percent in some of the districts of İstanbul such as Adalar, Beşiktaş, Büyükçekmece and Beyoğlu, it fell as low as 15 percent in the more rural parts of the province. The ÖSS success level was particularly low in the districts that draw the most immigration, such as Bağcılar, said the daily, stressing that the classrooms are very crowded in these districts due to a rise in immigration.
Sabah: “Hope from judiciary for crisis-stricken workers,” read the headline of a front-page article in the daily yesterday, which reported that a Bursa court ruled against a company that sacked 150 workers six months ago allegedly due to the global financial crisis. Twenty-three of the 150 workers, who were working at a Renault factory in Bursa, gained the right to return to work with the court ruling, said the daily.
