Flights cancelled in Istanbul due to heavy snow

Istanbul, 1 January 2016 (MIA) - Turkish carriers have announced Friday that several scheduled flights from Ataturk and Sabiha Gokcen airports had been cancelled as heavy snow blanketed Istanbul, Anadolu Agency reports.

The national flag carrier Turkish Airlines reported that 181 domestic and international flights were cancelled due to severe wintry conditions.

While privately run Pegasus Airlines cancelled 63 flights, another airline company Onur Air cancelled 3, leading certain passengers to find themselves stranded at the airport.

Heavy snowfall over the night also led to closure of Ataturk International Airport to air traffic for about 30 minutes. ik/15:04

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Erdogan says Hitler's Germany exemplifies effective presidential system

Ankara, 1 January 2016 (MIA) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who is pushing for executive powers, cites Hitler's Germany as an example of an effective presidential system, in comments broadcast by Turkish media on Friday, Reuters reports.

Erdogan wants to change the Turkish constitution to turn the ceremonial role of president into that of a chief executive, a Turkish version of the system in the United States, France or Russia.

Asked on his return from a visit to Saudi Arabia late on Thursday whether an executive presidential system was possible while maintaining the unitary structure of the state, he said: "There are already examples in the world. You can see it when you look at Hitler's Germany.

"There are later examples in various other countries," he told reporters, according to a recording broadcast by the Dogan news agency.

The ruling AK Party, founded by Erdogan, has put a new constitution at the heart of its agenda after winning back a majority in a November parliamentary election.

It agreed with the main opposition CHP on Wednesday to revive efforts to forge a new constitution.

Opposition parties agree on the need to change the constitution, drawn up after a 1980 coup and still bearing the stamp of its military authors, but do not back the presidential system envisaged by Erdogan, fearing it will consolidate too much power in the hands of an authoritarian leader. ik/15:54

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Erdogan's office denies advocating Hitler-style rule

Ankara, 2 January 2016 (MIA) - The Turkish president's office said Friday that Recep Tayyip Erdogan was not advocating a Hitler-style government when he called for a state system with a strong executive, AP reports.

A statement from Erdogan's office said the Turkish president has declared the Holocaust, anti-semitism and Islamophobia as crimes against humanity and that it was out of the question for him to cite Hitler's Germany as a good example.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Erdogan was asked whether a presidential system which he has long advocated could exist within a "unitary state." Erdogan cited Hitler's Germany as one example in history.

However, Erdogan's office said the president had cited the era as a negative example to explain that bad rule can emerge in all political systems.

"Whether it is parliamentary system or a presidential system, bad rules that end in disasters can emerge if the system is misused, as it was by Hitler's Germany," the statement said. "It is unacceptable to reflect the president's statement as a positive reference to Hitler's Germany."

The existing constitution limits the powers of the president and places the prime minister in charge of the government — as in many European countries.

Critics fear that a presidential system would place too much power in Erdogan's hands.

Opposition parties have said they favor constitutional changes to make Turkey more democratic but are wary of turning the system to one with a strong executive.