The Cabinet meeting to be held on Monday under the helm of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will focus on economic developments as well as the fight against terrorism following a PKK attack in the capital Ankara last week.
Türkiye carried out airstrikes against PKK targets in Iraq and Syria after Wednesday's shooting and suicide attack that killed five people at a defense firm near the Turkish capital.
The Cabinet will discuss the latest situation of continuing operations of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), National Intelligence Agency (MIT) and police forces abroad and within the country.
On the other side, Ankara has also been alarmed by regional conflicts rooted in Israel’s attacks on Gaza and regional countries.
Preventing attacks against Palestine and Lebanon, stopping Israel, preventing the war from spreading to different geographies and the paths to be followed for peace will be discussed. The humanitarian aid planned for Lebanon will also be handled.
Another issue that will be in the focus is the "Newborn Gang" investigation. The gang is accused of causing the deaths of several infants after placing newborns in intensive care units for financial gain.
A 494-page indictment of 47 suspects, including health workers, revealed that infants were transferred to selected hospitals in Istanbul instead of facilities where they would receive appropriate care. The organized crime gang is believed to have used this method to receive higher funds from Türkiye’s social security system with more expensive treatments. The fraud caused at least 12 infant deaths as a result of longer stays at neonatal intensive care units or infection, for example.
The indictment prepared by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the gang was accepted by the Bakırköy 22nd High Criminal Court. The gang members will appear before the judge in the coming days.
The economic challenges, inflation, as well as policies to tackle these, are another issue to be discussed. The latest state in price stability, employment and investment will be on the table.
Moreover, inspections on food products will be debated after the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry recently updated the list of counterfeit and adulterated products and exposed companies that commit fraud in their products. The ministers will discuss whether an adjustment is needed in the fine for these companies.
Environment, Urban Planning and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum will also brief the Cabinet about the works undergoing in the earthquake zone.
On Feb. 6, 2023, Türkiye was shaken by deadly earthquakes, later dubbed as the “Disaster of the Century,” in which over 53,537 lives were lost, 107,213 were injured and over 800,000 independent units, encompassing homes and businesses, were severely damaged. The seismic waves, each with magnitudes exceeding 6.5, reverberated across a vast expanse, covering 120,000 square kilometers (46,332 square miles). An estimated 14 million people found themselves in the quake's impact zone.
