What is going on in Trabzon?

Vakit's Abdurrahman Dilipak thinks the US and Israel may be the cause of events originating from Trabzon. He stresses the strategic location of the city and says Trabzon is a key point for Greek, Armenian, Georgian, Iranian and Azerbaijani operations. He explains that Trabzon has become a key location in terms of the energy interests in its neighborhood. Focusing on the history of the city, Dilipak clarifies that Trabzon is home to many different identities such as Greek, Armenian, Georgian, Circassian. Dilipak does not think US or Israeli influence in the region a distant possibility. "The defense of the US starts at Trabzon. Trabzon is as important for the US as the İncirlik base is," he says. Referring to Professor Ümit Özdağ, who said, "The US wants Trabzon as a base for the eastern Black Sea region in relation to their overall strategic plans for the Middle East," Dilipak asserts that the Black Sea region is no calmer than the Middle East. He says Russia stands before the US in the Black Sea region as a power but in the Middle East the US stands alone. He explains that the removal of the Trabzon governor and police chief is not sufficient. The government should be careful while assigning new officers to these positions and choose a person who will be able to take risks. Dilipak suggests that Trabzon's residents should be careful. If they aren't, the northeast of Turkey will be as problematic as its southeast. "The region's media and nongovernmental organizations should act with care. There is a need for a strong administrative structure in the region. If measures are not taken starting today, things may become worse in the days ahead," Dilipak urges.

Radikal's Murat Belge does not think anything is specifically wrong with Trabzon. He says such events could take place in any other city under similar circumstances. He explains that this country has a habit of blaming outsiders for negative things and that the same thing is happening in this case. Belge thinks it is simply choosing the easy way out by assuming that such incidents are only taking place in Trabzon. "I think we feel a kind of relief by choosing a spot for a calamity that is widespread in the country," he remarks. As a reason for the increasing nationalism in the Black Sea region, and in Trabzon in particular, he puts forth that many soldiers killed in fighting against separatist terrorist organization the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were from this region. Belge says he personally observed this during his visits to the region.