Fehim Tastekin
Speaker
Fehim Tastekin was born in 1972 in Oltu, Turkey, and studied political science and Oriental studies in Istanbul until 1997. In 1996 he began writing for various Turkish newspapers—among others, for the Hürriyet Group. His journalistic work often focuses on the Caucasus and Russian policies in Chechnya. He has been editor of and a columnist for the Daily Radical in Istanbul since 2003, where he primarily tackles Turkey’s foreign policy. He writes guest columns for Die Zeit and other German newspapers, and has been publishing regular reports on issues related to the Caucasus since 2002.
ZAK asked Fehim Taştekin to answer the following questions:
1. Has our need for security grown or merely our perception of insecurity?
Especially after the 9/11 attacks domestic and international security policies of Western countries have created duel sense; while some of us feel more secure because of the precautions, others perceive these as threats. Of course taking measures is essential but we need to underline that people face some inflated threats. Political leaders of policy makers have exploited in their public addresses and considerations senses. Further to that we need to emphasise the sources of terror. In some parts of the world, terror and insecurity will not be dried while political and military interventions, wars, ethnic clashes, poverty, and social, economic and political injustice continue.
2. To what extent are interferences between the different risks on the increase? Is a domino effect recognisable?
From economic, social and cultural crises to humanitarian and environmental disasters, all risks could be managed, controlled and their damages decreased if appropriate measures were taken. But sometimes all that's left is to pray!
3. In the face of the present crisis situation should more decision-making authority be shifted to the European institutions/organs?
In consideration of the economic crisis in Greece where local government and institutions didn't collaborate through certain channels, it seems like a good idea to transfer more power to Brussels. In the long term, however, a more realistic approach is to give more power to locals. To prevent exploitation and abuse, European institutions should have some deterrence mechanisms.
