TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
38/17
23.02.17
1.
Akinci’s statement on the Cyprus talks
2.
Akinci will participate at the 13th Conference of the
ECO
3.
“Akinci left the negotiating table”
4.
Yildirim: Akinci’s decision to leave the negotiating table was justified
5.
Kalin: Enosis plebiscite justifies Turkish Cypriot concerns and demands for
Turkey’s security and guarantees
6.
CTP calls on leaders to solve crisis
7.
Durduran called the two leaders to return to the negotiating
table
8.
AKP Deputy said that there are 100 thousand Turkish voters in the occupied area
of Cyprus
9.
A stolen Ottoman sword found at the British museum
10.
Turkey to EU: No summit, no progress
11.
Erdogan, Trump could meet in person before May
12.
Yıldırım: “Yes or no, Turkey will continue on its path after
vote”
13.
Turkish opposition slams government over HDP co-leader’s loss of
seat
14.
Headscarves now permitted in Turkish army
15.
Court accepts indictment against Turkish fashion designer Şansal over ‘inciting
hatred’
16.
New working hours at “public offices”
1.
Akinci’s statement on the Cyprus talks
According
to illegal Bayrak television (23.02.17), the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa
Akinci accused the Greek Cypriot side of continuing to blame the Turkish Cypriot
side for the current impasse in the Cyprus negotiations process, instead of
correcting its “mistake”.
Akinci
issued a written statement concerning today’s scheduled meeting with the
President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Anastasiades, which was
cancelled.
The
meeting was called off after Akinci announced that he would not be attending on
grounds that the Greek Cypriot side had not taken sufficient steps to rectify
the situation.
“The
Greek Cypriot side, instead of correcting its mistake is continuing to blame us.
It has been claiming that we are making up excuses because we do not want to
negotiate”, Akinci said.
Alleging
that a similar impasse had been experienced last year when he himself had
attended a dinner at an international event upon the invitation of Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan followed by a meeting with the UN Secretary
General, Akinci claimed: “It seems Mr Anastasiades forgot that he had protested
my actions by not meeting with me. He continued his meaningless stance for days
and we were only able to return to the talks due to the patience I had shown as
well as my determination for reaching a solution”.
Supporting
that “there is a great difference between attending a dinner and the decision to
commemorate Enosis at schools which aims to fill the minds of Greek Cypriot
youth with nationalist aspirations”, Akinci alleged that the Greek Cypriot side
refuses to understand the strong reaction the whole of the Turkish Cypriot
community had put forward.
Akinci
further claimed that the main reason why progress had been reached in the Cyprus
negotiations process for the past 21 months is the great effort and constructive
stance displayed by the Turkish Cypriot side to reach a federal settlement,
something, which all relevant parties had seen, as he alleged.
“If
a five-party conference was able to convene it was because the Turkish Cypriot
side had played a great role”, Akinci further said.
“Unfortunately,
this is not the approach we see from the Greek Cypriot side,” stated Akıncı,
alleging that the Greek Cypriot side avoided taking a stance on the details
regarding effective decision making in the federal committees, seeking only the
majority of Greek Cypriot members.
“This
approach is against an agreement for federal cooperation”, he claimed, adding
that the Greek Cypriot leadership was not promoting the idea and preparing the
ground for a rotating presidency.
Reminding
that a request to postpone the Geneva conference was not made by Turkey, but by
Greece, Akinci further supported that the Greek Cypriot side cannot hide the
fact that the rationale behind the vote for an Enosis day at schools was driven
by electoral logic as elections in “south Cyprus” are a year from
now.
2.
Akinci will participate at the 13th Conference of the Economic
Cooperation Organization
Illegal
Bayrak television (online, 23.02.17) broadcast (http://www.brtk.net/akinci-pakistan-yolcusu/)
that according to a press release by Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci’s
office, Akinci will fly to Islamabad on February 27, to participate at the
13th conference of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), as a
guest of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Akinci
will be accompanied by the “director of presidency” Gulden Ilkman, his private
secretary Cenk Gurcag and his special advisor on economy Prof. Dr Omer
Gokcekus.
Akinci
and his delegation will return to the occupied area of Cyprus on March
3.
(DPs)
3.
“Akinci left the negotiating table”
Under
the above title, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (23.02.17)
reports that Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu “did what he had to
do” during his illegal visit to the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus and
the negotiations were interrupted.
According
to the paper, Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci could not be different than the
past Turkish Cypriot leaders. “He burned the quilt because of fleas and
disappointed those who had voted for him, but earned the appreciation of the
nationalist front which had not voted for him”, writes the paper adding that
Akinci stated yesterday that he would not participate in the meeting with
President Anastasiades planned for today within the framework of the Cyprus
talks.
The
paper noted that Akinci was not satisfied with the statement made by President
Anastasiades that the decision of the Cyprus House of Representatives regarding
the commemoration of the 1950 plebiscite in favor of the unification of Cyprus
with Greece [enosis] in schools was wrong. Akinci was also not satisfied with
the move made by ruling DISY party on the issue, writes Afrika, which resembles
Baris Burcu, Akinci’s spokesperson, to Hasan Ercakica, former Turkish Cypriot
leader Talat’s spokesperson, and recalls that Burcu stated yesterday that they
were expecting “concrete steps both at political and administrative level”.
Turkish
Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (23.02.17) also reports that the
negotiating process in Cyprus “officially stopped”, after “entering into a
deadlock with south Cyprus’ insistence on enosis”. “The Turkish Cypriot side
decided not to participate in the meeting between the leaders today”, notes the
paper.
(I/Ts.)
4.
Yildirim: Akinci’s decision to leave the negotiating table was justified
Turkish
Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (23.02.17) reports that Binali
Yildirim, Turkish Prime Minister, has reiterated the allegation that Turkey’s
effective guarantees are sine qua non for a solution in Cyprus. Speaking at
Cankaya Palace in Ankara yesterday, Yildirim claimed: “This is also not enough.
Let us say that, in spite of all that happened, there will be an agreement.
What we call as four freedoms should be secured, the free entrance and exit
from Cyprus of people, services, products and capital. This is also something we
have asked from the EU”.
Furthermore,
Yildirim alleged that the Greek Cypriot side has been conducting an “operation
of perceptions” in Cyprus by saying “we agreed, I will agree”, but afterwards
things from its subconscious came to surface. He claimed: “It took the decision
on enosis [Translator’s note: This is how he described the decision of the
Cyprus House of Representatives regarding the commemoration of the 1950
plebiscite in favor of the unification of Cyprus with Greece (enosis) in
schools]. If you would take this decision, why were you keeping so many people
busy for so long? This is diametrically opposite to the agreement. Akinci was
justified in not going to the last meeting of the leaders. Therefore, this
meeting will not take place. This is not a childish game.
[…]
From
Cyprus’ point of view, Turkey should be treated as if it has joined the EU. This
is EU’s duty.
They are working on this. And Greece, Britain and Turkey are working on
the issues of guarantees and security. And it is Akinci’s and Anastasiades’ duty
to develop and single Cyprus based on the fair equality, a solution which
will be consisting of two federations and will be satisfying the
expectations of both the Geek and he Turkish Cypriot side. […]”.
(I/Ts.)
5.
Kalin: Enosis plebiscite justifies Turkish Cypriot concerns and demands for
Turkey’s security and guarantees
Illegal
Bayrak (23.02.17 online http://www.brtk.net/?english_posts=kalin-evaluates-enosis-decision)
broadcast that Turkish Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalin made an
evaluation on the decision of the Cyprus House of Representatives regarding the
inclusion of the 1950 plebiscite on Cyprus’ unification (enosis) with Greece in
the list of the days which are celebrated at the secondary education schools in
the government-controlled area of the Republic and said that this is in Greek
Cypriot leadership’s hand.
Kalin
claimed that the Enosis decision signified the Greek Cypriot side’s idea to
annex the island with Greece and added that with this decision the Greek Cypriot
side intended to revive this idea and dream.
Saying
that “it was out of question to accept this idea”, Kalin claimed the decision
was important in terms that it revealed the true intentions of the Greek Cypriot
side.
He
also alleged that the situation served to justify Turkish Cypriot concerns and
demands for Turkey’s security and guarantees and added: “We have been saying
from the very beginning that Turkey’s presence in Cyprus as a guarantor power is
not targeted at the Greek Cypriot side but is aimed for the protection of the
Turkish Cypriots and for peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean. We
hope that the Greek Cypriot side will change its decision. Especially, bringing
this decision to the agenda during a period where the negotiations process has
entered a critical stage will of course have an adverse effect on the talks. It
is the Greek Cypriot side who should take steps.”
6.
CTP calls on leaders to solve crisis
Illegal
Bayrak (23.02.17 online http://www.brtk.net/?english_posts=ctp-calls-on-leaders-to-solve-crisis)
reports that the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) issued a statement calling on
the two leaders in Cyprus to communicate, to find a way to resume the Cyprus
negotiations process and to exercise a sincere effort towards reaching a
bi-zonal, bi-communal federal settlement on the basis of political
equality.
In
a statement evaluating the decision of the Cyprus House of Representatives on
1950 Enosis plebiscite, CTP said that both the decision itself and its
implementation were extremely wrong and unacceptable.
According
to the party, it would be wrong to evaluate this decision as just untimely and
that doing so would only be trying to rectify a mistake with another
mistake.
While
the statement urged the Greek Cypriot leader to do his part in correcting this
mistake immediately, it pointed out that the decision had harmed the
negotiations process.
Stating
that a serious effort had been put forward in the Cyprus negotiations process to
this date and that important progress had been reached, the CTP statement said
that great injustice would be committed against both Turkish and Greek Cypriots
if all these efforts were wasted.
The
statement also called on the two leaders to establish a mechanism for
communication, to use a language which will restore the atmosphere of trust at
the negotiating table and to transform the current situation into an opportunity
to bring to the agenda the need for peace education to be used against those who
oppose a settlement.
7.
Durduran called the two leaders to return to the negotiating table
Turkish
Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (23.02.17) reports that the member of the
“executive committee” of the New Cyprus Party (YKP), Albay Durduran,
evaluating in a written statement the recent developments on the Cyprus
negotiation talks, called the two leaders to return to the negotiating table the
soonest possible, to discuss the core issues and to intensify their efforts by
focusing on a framework agreement.
Expressing
the view that it is not right to toughen your stance and put preconditions
instead of trying to smooth down the situation, Durduran said: “The Turkish
Cypriot side should not do this. By threatening for the future and behaving like
this, someone is possible to think that it was expecting for this chance to
utilize it”.
Explaining
that it should not be forgotten that there will not be other opportunity for the
creation of a United Cyprus, Durduran recalled the threat of the change of the
demographic structure of the island and added that if no solution is found,
Cyprus would continuously experience several problems and would become a place
which will always hope for help.
Stressing
the need for the solution of the Cyprus problem not to be victimized by
“political games”, Durduran called the two leaders to return the soonest
possible to the negotiating table.
(AK)
8.
AKP Deputy said that there are 100 thousand Turkish voters in the occupied
area of Cyprus
Turkish
Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (23.02.17) reports that Abdurrahman Oz,
Deputy with the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Aydin and deputy chairman
of the election affairs committee, said that the Turkish citizens, who live in
the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, will be able to vote in “TRNC” for
the constitutional referendum on April 16, 2017, in case of making a
registration at the illegal Turkish embassy in the occupied part of Lefkosia
until February 26.
Oz,
who is currently in the occupied area of Cyprus with a committee, announced
that the number of Turkish voters in the “TRNC” is around to 100 thousands, who
can go to the polls.
Explaining
that he is in the “TRNC” as the election affairs committee of AKP, Oz said that
they are making efforts so the turnout in the referendum to be high. He
further said that there are 100 thousand voters in the occupied area of the
Republic of Cyprus and 50 thousand university students. Noting that they, as
AKP, attach importance to the youth, Oz explained that in this context, they are
meeting with university students and informing them regarding the voter
registration.
On
the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (23.02.17)
reports that asked by the paper whether a rally will be held or not in the
occupied area of Cyprus for Turkey’s constitutional referendum, Oz replied that
Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim expressed such a desire, but at this
stage he does not know when it will be held, adding that it will be clarified in
an advanced stage.
(DPs)
9.
A stolen Ottoman sword found at the British
museum
According
to Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (23.02.17), the sword of Ottoman
Sultan Selim II, who conquered Cyprus in 1571, was found in Britain. The paper
reports that the sword, which was donated by Sultan Selim at the Selimiye mosque
(Cathedral of Saint Sofia) in the occupied part of Lefkosia, was stolen 35 years
ago and sold for four million sterling.
The
paper further reports that this sword is now at the British museum. The general
director of EVKAF Ibrahim Benter said that they will try to bring back the
historical sword. He added that by using all the diplomatic channels they will
ask the return of the sword. The sword will be on the market for the price of 15
million sterling.
(DPs)
10.
Turkey to EU: No summit, no progress
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (23.02.17) reports that the only way to jumpstart stalled
Turkey-EU ties is to hold a high-level summit between the two parties, Turkish
EU Minister Ömer Çelik has said, suggesting that it should occur in the first
half of 2017 and produce concrete results in Turkey’s accession process, as well
as a visa exemption to Turkish nationals.
“There
can be no progress [in ties between Turkey and the European Union] without a
proper Turkey-EU summit,” Çelik told a group of journalists travelling with him
to Warsaw for official talks on Feb. 22.
Turkey
has long called on the EU to hold a high-level summit to revise issues of
concern to both sides, especially on the implementation of the March 18, 2016,
migrant agreement. Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım conveyed Ankara’s message to
the EU on the need to update the political framework during a trip to Malta, the
EU’s term president, last week.
Turkey’s
message included two important points, Çelik said. “First, this summit should be
held in the first half of this year. Second, it should not introduce theoretical
perspectives but concrete progress. This summit should not be limited to issues
related to Turkey’s struggle against terrorism or migration. We want to see what
can be produced in Turkey’s accession process, as well as grant visa exemptions
to Turkish nationals.”
Although
Turkey has fulfilled its obligations stemming from a March 2016 agreement, it
needs to be seen whether the EU really wants to continue the deal or wishes to
abandon it, Çelik said.
Recalling
that the EU was in a process of abolishing visa requirements for the nationals
of Ukraine, Georgia and Kosovo, Çelik said: “If the criteria is about security,
there is no doubt that Turkey is much stronger in fulfilling it. There is no
solid reason for not providing a visa exemption to
Turkey.”
Çelik
also said Turkey’s ongoing struggle against the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL) in al-Bab, Manbij and elsewhere in Syria was part of an effort to
ensure the security of European capitals from terrorists.
“Turkey
was able to clear its borders of DAESH all alone while a coalition of 60
countries failed to do so. These borders are NATO borders as well and have been
cleared of terrorists,” he said, using an Arabic acronym for ISIL.
Çelik
also drew attention to the EU’s decision not to invite negotiating countries to
the 60th anniversary of the Rome Treaty, which will be held in Rome on March 25.
Expressing
Ankara’s disturbance, Çelik said: “They said they have not invited the United
Kingdom either. This reflects the EU’s lack of vision. Putting countries that
are negotiating to be admitted to the EU and, therefore see their future inside
the EU, and the U.K., which decided to exit it, into the same basket is a clear
collapse of vision.”
The
meeting, which is being organized by European Council President Donald Tusk,
will be attended by the heads of state and governments of EU countries on March
25 in Italy.
Ties
between Ankara and Brussels became increasingly tense last year after the
European Parliament issued a recommendation to the EU to cut ongoing
negotiations with Turkey upon Rapporteur Kati Piri’s report.
When
asked about Piri’s presence in Ankara for official talks, Çelik said he refused
to give an appointment to her on the grounds that she was solely reflecting the
position of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and was failing to draft a
balanced text on Turkey.
“She
should not report as if she is the spokeswomen of the HDP. Her reports are only
the translation of HDP officials’ routine statements into English,” Çelik said,
calling on her to contribute to the Turkey-EU relationship and not damage it.
Still,
Çelik said Turkey’s new EU ambassador, Faruk Kaymakçı, had related that Piri
will exercise a more balanced position in her future works.
Çelik
also said a note on Turkey’s upcoming referendum had been given to EU officials
during Yıldırım’s meetings last weekend in Germany. The EU Commissioner for
Migration, Dimitris Avramopoulos, demanded information on the content of the
constitutional changes at a meeting that took place at around midnight, Çelik
said, underlining that the note was prepared and given to EU officials the
following morning.
11.
Erdogan, Trump could meet in person before May
Turkish
daily Yeni Safak (23.02.17) reports that preparations are underway for Turkish
President Tayyip Erdogan and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump to meet in person
before a NATO summit in May, Erdogan's spokesman said on
Wednesday.
Speaking
at a press conference in Ankara, Ibrahim Kalin said the two leaders were almost
definitely going to meet on the sidelines of the NATO summit but efforts focused
on getting them together even before that.
As
both leaders will be at the summit, there must be a meeting, he said specifying
that officials from both countries were working to organize a meeting before
May.
He
also confirmed that Erdogan would visit Russia in March to join a Turkey-Russia
High Level Cooperation Council.
Erdogan
will also pay a return visit to Pakistan, the spokesman said, referring to
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to Ankara, in which he will meet
the Turkish President later on Wednesday.
12.
Yildirim: “Yes or no, Turkey will continue on its path after
vote”
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (23.02.17) reports that Turkish Prime Minister Binali
Yıldırım said that Turkey will continue on its path regardless of who wins the
April 16 referendum on controversial charter amendments,
“Either
‘yes’ or ‘no’ could prevail in the referendum. If the ‘no’ votes prevail, we
will continue,” Yıldırım told a group of journalists in a meeting at the Çankaya
Mansion in Ankara on Feb. 22, adding that “the country won’t be divided” by
either result. […]
Noting
that he does not rely on polls “unless he does them himself,” Yıldırım said
everyone would learn what will happen on April 16. “We accept whatever the
people will vote for with great pleasure. That’s what’s meaningful for us,” he
added.
During
the meeting, Yıldırım said they were defending the executive presidential system
but that the CHP wanted to strengthen the parliamentary system. “Both could’ve
happened. I told [CHP leader Kemal] Kilicdaroglu to bring both to the public,
but he didn’t want to,” he said.
He
also stated that the Turkish government would consider the deportation of the
Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen from the U.S. as a positive move if there is no
direct extradition.
Touching
on strategic relations with the U.S., Yıldırım said they will continue in Syria
and Ankara has “serious coordination with the new
administration.”
Responding
to questions on whether close coordination with the U.S. has a negative effect
on relations with Russia, Yıldırım said “we can get along with
both.”
“Our
relations with the U.S. are different from our relations with Russia. They are
not alternatives to each other. We can get along with both,” he
added.
Yildirim
also stated that Turkey’s plan to launch the Raqqa offensive aims “to dry terror
at its source and destroy it.”
12.
Turkish opposition slams government over HDP co-leader’s loss of
seat
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (23.02.17) reports that the opposition in Turkey has
slammed the ruling party over the termination of the Peoples’ Democratic Party
(HDP) co-chair Figen Yuksekdag parliamentary status, even as the Prime Minister
hinted at further dismissals.
“It
might work for you for today. You may get political benefit from it. But you are
bringing down all conventions, traditions and democracy to the ground,” Sezgin
Tanrikulu, a main opposition Republican People’s Party Istanbul lawmaker, said
Feb. 21.
“I
hope this will not pave the way for similar practices in the future,” he said.
His
comments came after Yuksekdag, who has been in jail for three months on
terror-related charges, was stripped of her seat in Parliament for a prison
sentence she received regarding terror propaganda that was made on Nov. 27,
2013, and approved by the Supreme Court on Sept. 22, 2016.
Her
parliamentary status was dismissed after a Prime Ministry motion regarding
Yuksekdag’s sentencing was read out loud by the parliamentary speaker. The
motion had been in the hand of Parliament for over five months.
According
to the Constitution, the loss of the parliamentary seat “through a final
judicial sentence or deprivation of legal capacity, shall take effect after the
final court decision in the matter has been communicated to the plenary” of the
parliament, without the necessity for a vote.
Tanrıkulu
slammed Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Ayşenur Bahçekapılı for reading out the
ministry’s motion, saying that in previous cases, speakers have used their
initiative to hold the motion until the end of the term as a matter of
parliamentary tradition for immunity.
CHP
Deputy Group Spokesperson Engin Altay also criticized the implementation of the
parliamentary procedure.
“There
is an unethical picture here,” Altay said in Parliament on Feb. 21.
“You
are presenting a document to the information of the General Assembly here under
the 84th Article of the Constitution concerning the loss of the parliamentary
membership of the leader of a political party but that political party has a
group here; these friends need to be notified beforehand,” he said.
HDP
Mardin MP and law professor Mithat Sancar said the procedure was against the
Constitution.
He
said Yuksekdag’s conviction for “terror propaganda” was not within the scope of
the related constitutional framework since it was not included in the list of
crimes that obstruct one’s eligibility to be a Deputy and that the sentence had
to last for more than a year to result in an MP being stripped of his or her
membership.
“Even
the reading of this motion in the General Assembly violates the constitution,”
Sancar said.
Prime
Minister Binali Yildirim answered question concerning Yuksekdag’s situation,
hinting at similar sanctions against other HDP lawmakers.
“Regardless
of who it is, whenever someone is given a definite penalty, their situation will
be read out in Parliament. This is what will happen from now on,” Yıldırım said
Feb. 22.
Yuksekdag,
who was a lawmaker from the eastern province of Van, was arrested on Nov. 4,
2016, over her alleged links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). She
currently faces over 80 years in prison.
Meanwhile,
the Diyarbakir Chief Prosecutor’s Office has demanded up to 38.5 years in prison
for HDP Diyarbakır lawmaker Altan Tan, who was taken into custody as part of a
terrorism-related investigation.
13.
Headscarves now permitted in Turkish army
Ankara
Anatolia news agency (23.02.17) reports that female members of Turkey’s armed
forces will be able to wear headscarves for first time, under a Turkish
Defence Ministry policy announced Wednesday.
According
to new ministry regulations, female soldiers can wear headscarves underneath
their caps or berets as long as they are the same colour as their uniform and
are without patterns.
In
2013, the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party lifted a ban on headscarves
in Turkey's civil service as part of a broader democratization
package.
The
regulation not only includes regular women military officers and
non-commissioned officers but also women military cadets.
The
move will come into force after being published in the Official
Gazette.
14.
Court accepts indictment against Turkish fashion designer Şansal over
‘inciting hatred’
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (23.02.17) reports that a court in Turkey has accepted an
indictment prepared against Turkish fashion designer Barbaros Şansal and has
said his trial would be held on March 16.
The
court has ordered for the continuation of Şansal’s detention and demanded one to
three years in jail over charges of “inciting hatred and hostility among the
public.”
The
court has clarified a previous indictment that was returned, which demanded
three years in jail for Şansal, who was arrested on charges of “inciting hate
among the public” in social media posts and video footage in which he “insulted”
Turkey, on the grounds that the indictment had “inconsistencies.”
The
indictment against Şansal, who was deported from the breakaway regime and
arrested in Turkey for social media posts shared in the early hours of Jan. 1,
was not accepted by the court.
The
court noted that the indictment claimed one of Şansal’s tweets was sent from
Istanbul, though the suspect was in Cyprus at the time.
It
also said the content of the charge was “inciting hatred among the public,” but
the offense that referred him to the court for arrest, “insulting the Turkish
nation,” was also included in the file. This would create confusion in any
trial, it ruled.
15.
New working hours at “public offices”
Illegal
Bayrak (23.02.17 online http://www.brtk.net/?english_posts=new-working-hours-at-public-offices)
broadcast that the “government” of the breakaway regime the trade unions have
finally reached an agreement on adjusting working hours at all “state and public
offices”.
According
to the deal reached, “public offices” in winter will be open from 8am to 12:30pm
and 1pm to 4:15pm 4 days a week and from 8pm to 12:30pm and 1pm to 5:30pm on one
day of the week.
Summer
working hours at “public offices” will be between 07:30am to 2pm 4 days a week
and 07:30-12:30pm and 1pm to 5pm on one day of the week.
Commenting
on the issue, “deputy prime minister and minister of finance” Serdar Denktas
said that the agreement with the trade unions had been reached “within the
framework of a set of principles”. He said that the summer working hours that
would be in place for 4 months would come into effect on the 2nd Monday of May
and would end on the 3rd Monday of September setting out a 35 hour working
week.
Denktas
added that the “state employees” would be working a 40 hour week during the
remaining 8 months in winter.
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
