TURKEY: Forest Fires & more – 20th Aug 2024

Merhaba from Keswick Village! This is the Rorshok Turkey Update from the 20th of August twenty twenty-four. A quick summary of what's going down in Turkey.

On Friday the 16th, a major wildfire in İzmir’s Karşıyaka district destroyed seventeen houses, led to the evacuation of over a hundred others, and damaged an animal shelter in the area. Reportedly, a group who went on a picnic started the fire. Authorities revealed that over a hundred people received treatment in the hospital. The fire lasted for two days.

On the same day seventy-two other wildfires broke out across the country; luckily, most of them were under control by the morning. Reports indicate that the fires were accidental, but the high number of incidents raises concerns, as the rich might be trying to build a hotel in the forest land — which are restricted areas with no construction warrants. The fires affected a total of 1,600 hectares. Ongoing fires in the cities of Bolu and Manisa have led to further evacuations and damage. The Forestry Ministry warned of continued high-risk conditions until the 15th of September, especially with the strong winds which can spread the fire very fast.

On another note… Even though President Erdoğan recently slammed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for not responding to his invitation to address the Turkish parliament, finally, on Thursday the 15th, Abbas gave a speech.

In his speech addressing the parliament, Abbas said he plans to visit Gaza and Jerusalem to protest Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip. He discussed the conflict and ceasefire efforts with President Erdoğan and criticized the United States for supporting Israel and vetoing UN Security Council resolutions. He called for legal action against Israel for war crimes and violations of international law.

Still on international relations… On Thursday the 15th, after two days of talks between Turkey and Iraq, the Turkish Foreign minister announced that the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on military, security, and counter-terrorism cooperation. This follows ongoing tensions over Turkey's cross-border operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party militants in northern Iraq, which Iraq views as sovereignty violations. Relations have improved since President Erdoğan’s visit to Baghdad last year. The agreement includes a Joint Security Coordination Center in Baghdad and a Training and Cooperation Center in Bashiqa. The agreement also allows Iraqi citizens under fifteen and over fifty to visit Turkey visa-free. Some slammed the decision, arguing that this visa relaxation might be used as a pretext by Western countries to further restrict Turkish citizens' travel.

There were also concerns about the timing and rationale behind the visa policy, which suggested a political maneuver.

Speaking of visa-free travel… In Turkey, civil servants who have worked for a certain amount of time and have reached a certain level within their jobs earn the right to a green passport. The green passport is a special Turkish document that permits visa-free travel to the Schengen area in Europe. Now, many other professions want to get a hold of these passports. On Saturday the 17th, the number of proposed bills in Parliament for this increased to nineteen. These proposals, from various parties, aim to extend green passports to pharmacists, journalists, truck drivers, local mayors, accountants, judges, disabled employees, among others.

If accepted, this could add at least 800,000 new green passport holders, on top of the current 1.2 million. However, the Foreign and Interior Ministries worry that European countries might impose visas on green passport holders in response.

In some unpleasant news… On Friday, the 16th, the Parliament held an extraordinary session during its summer recess to discuss the parliamentary status of the jailed former deputy Can Atalay. The Parliament Speaker called the meeting after opposition parties demanded it. Atalay was convicted in twenty twenty-two for allegedly organizing the twenty thirteen Gezi Park protests; he remains in jail despite the Constitutional Court’s ruling against his imprisonment. He became an MP in the twenty twenty-three parliamentary elections, while he was in prison. However, despite gaining parliamentary immunity, authorities refused to release him. Authorities stated that his immunity didn’t cover his conviction. He lost his parliamentary seat in January this year due to the nature of his conviction, causing public outrage.

The session turned violent when Ahmet Şık, a Workers' Party of Turkey lawmaker, criticized the ruling Justice and Development Party or AKP. AKP lawmakers injured opposition members, leaving bloodstains on the floor. Both ruling and opposition parties condemned the violence, while the Chief Advisor praised it, drawing widespread outrage. Atalay's lawyers reported that the Parliament's broadcast was cut off during the brawl.

Speaking of the parliament… It will form a research commission to discuss artificial intelligence. The commission will examine AI advancements, reliability, transparency, data protection measures, and accountability. The Parliament is on break until the first of October, but preparations for the new legislative session are underway.

Next up… The T24 news outlet reported that the Turkish National Agency allocated nearly 500,000 US Dollars from EU and taxpayer funds to associations linked with Islamist cults. The Agency, operating under the Ministry of EU Affairs, manages and implements EU Education and Youth programs in Turkey.

Major recipients include the Turkish Youth and Education Service Foundation and the Turkish Youth Foundation, both led by President Erdoğan’s children. They both received over a hundred thousand dollars. The Ensar Foundation, known for a twenty eighteen abuse case also received funds. The government giving funds to such organizations is an unspoken fact in the country. There’s criticism over the funding of these organizations, saying that taxpayer money should benefit the public rather than enrich specific groups.

In other news… On Friday the 16th, President Erdoğan announced significant changes in senior positions. He reassigned police chiefs in twenty-three provinces, replaced gendarmerie commanders, and promoted several generals and Coast Guard commanders. He also appointed new rectors to thirteen universities, including the Middle East Technical University and the Istanbul Technical University. Erdoğan might be strengthening his influence by creating a new circle of trusted officials within the government.

More on politics as the AKP's internal surveys reveal that voters who left the party, particularly during local elections, have not returned. The data shows that former AKP supporters who switched to parties like the main opposition, the Republican People’s Party (or CHP), remain with their new choices. Analysts suggest the AKP faces challenges in regaining these voters, and the CHP should focus on appealing to this group.

In some environmental news… The state-run Anadolu Agency reported that air pollution in Istanbul rose by 14% in the first seven months of twenty twenty-four compared to the same period last year. Professor Hüseyin Toros, a meteorological engineer, said that increased vehicle traffic was the main cause. He urged citizens to use public transportation to reduce emissions.

Moving on… Anagold, the mining company linked to a fatal landslide in Erzincan earlier this year, has laid off 187 workers, citing financial difficulties. The company had previously provided assurance against mass layoffs. However, following the February disaster, which killed nine workers, authorities revoked the mine’s environmental permits, possibly leading to financial hardships. The company stated that the layoffs were unavoidable. Still, a lawyer for the Independent Mine Labor Union criticized the move, suggesting the company targeted workers near retirement or with disciplinary records.

And to close this edition…On Thursday the 15th, the Health Ministry confirmed there are no cases of Monkeypox in the country and stated that there is no immediate alarm. The World Health Organization declared a global public health emergency for monkeypox on Wednesday the 14th. The recent outbreak, originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has caused at least five hundred deaths and is raising concern due to a new virus variant. The Turkish Ministry is closely monitoring the situation with its scientific committee. Mpox is transmitted through rodents or close contact with an infected person. The disease causes symptoms like high fever and skin blisters.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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