Turkish media group to discuss settlement-sources

Turkey's Finance Ministry and Dogan Yayin, the country's largest media group, will meet on Sept. 23 to discuss a possible settlement over a $2.5 billion tax fine, government sources said on Thursday.

The record tax fine has raised concern among critics that the government in the European Union applicant country is seeking to choke off Dogan Yayin for hostile coverage including graft allegations and accusations it is introducing Islam into public life -- a breach of secular constitutional principles. The government denies the allegations and says the Finance Ministry's tax inspectors operate independently, in line with the law. The tax fine was announced last week.