Turkish Press Review

ISTANBUL

Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

Monday’s newspapers covered the funeral of leading Turkish businessman Mustafa Koc, who died of heart attack on Thursday in Istanbul.

“Farewell and fidelity” was Milliyet’s headline, reporting on the thousands of people from all walks of life who gathered to say farewell to Koc, the eldest son of billionaire Mustafa Rahmi Koc.

Koc’s brothers Ali and Omer helped carry his coffin to the prayer in the mosque of Marmara University’s theology faculty, the daily said.

Haberturk and Yeni Safak both carried the headline “Farewell to Koc”.

Haberturk reported that the funeral was attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, ministers, opposition leaders and businessmen.

Yeni Safak said Koc was buried next to his grandfather Vehbi Koc in Istanbul's Zincirlikuyu cemetery.

Koc had been chairman of Koc Holding since 2003. The firm, which has interests in vehicle manufacturing, food, retail, energy, financial services, tourism, construction and IT, is the only Turkish company in the Fortune 500.

In other news, Turkey’s dailies also covered Erdogan’s ongoing criticism of a group of academics who signed a petition calling for an end to counter-terrorism operations in the southeast.

Star reported on a speech in Kayseri province in which Erdogan accused the academics of being “actors of academic terror”.

The petition, issued on Jan. 11, has led to an investigation into “terrorist propaganda” and the arrests of dozens of academics.

In economic news, Dunya reported on the decline of tourism on the Aegean coast. According to the daily, more than 900 resorts worth 9 billion Turkish liras ($2.99 billion) are for sale in the region, one of the most important holiday destinations in Turkey.