Exploratory Talks to Resume With Greece, But Frictions Remain Over Militarised Islets

LOCAL NEWS

• Exploratory talks with Greece set to resume on Feb 22 with tensions over the Aegean rising in recent weeks over Greece’s supposed militarisation of various islets.
  • This is the 4th meeting since talks restarted at the beginning of 2021, but little progress have been made on disagreements. On Saturday, Greek FM Denidas said Turkey was “drifting away from Europe” due to its “neo-Ottoman agenda in the region” – Ahval
• Supermarket chains, which have been scapegoated for Turkey’s soaring inflation, have started to reduced the prices of some products after Erdogan demanded shops reduce VAT from 8% to 1%.
  • President of Turkish Retailers Federation Omer Duzgun said they expect discounts from suppliers and manufacturers as well in the near-future - Cumhurriyet
• Local economist says that without a robust economic recovery, Erdogan is likely to suffer defeat in the 2023 elections. Says The People’s Alliance is misreading the country as support diminishes with many citizens in surveys blaming Erdogan personally for the economy – Ahval

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• 0800GMT: Jan Foreign Tourist Arrivals y/y, 170.6% prior