1993, one of the darkest chapters in Turkey's history, had just drawn to a close. The assassination of journalist Uğur Mumcu, the suspicious deaths of prominent figures like Eşref Bitlis, Adnan Kahveci, and Turgut Özal, the Ümraniye garbage dump disaster, the Bingöl and Başbağlar attacks, the horrific Sivas massacre, the closure of the People's Labour Party (HEP) and the subsequent stripping of immunity from its deputies, and Tansu Çiller's chilling statement, implying a hit list of Kurdish businesspeople accused of supporting the PKK, which would trigger a series of state-sponsored murders… This was, unfortunately, the grim reality of Turkey in 1993.

Despite the popularity it enjoys as a topic of conversation, nationalism is not on the rise in Turkey, neither in its influence on the state nor in voter tendencies. 

Migration and asylum have been at the top of the agenda in the EU for some time now. Thereby, the discussion is less about solving problems or addressing the suffering of people on the move, but more about preventing people from reaching European soil. This is neither good for the people seeking refuge in our continent, nor beneficial to the political debate on these issues.

After the European elections, the democratic and pro-European forces in the European Parliament (EP) have been weakened. They must make cooperation much more binding in order to ensure reliable majorities for an effective EU.

Dr. Sonja Schiffers, Heinrich Böll Stiftung's South Caucasus Office Representative in Tbilisi, shared her evaluations regarding the new legislation in Georgia publicly known as “foreign agent law” at the press conference held at the Heinrich Böll Stiftung Istanbul Office.

Ahead of the 80th anniversary of the Bretton Woods Conference, together with partner institutions, we propose reforms in eight critical areas of the international economic and financial architecture to reflect the changing global realities and challenges. 

The Heinrich Böll Foundation works independently and nurtures a spirit of intellectual openness. We maintain a world­ wide network with currently 34 international offices. And here is about the İstanbul office...