Parliamentary commission hears from unions in anti-terror bid
ANKARA
A parliamentary commission overseeing the government’s "terror-free Türkiye" initiative heard testimony from labor unions on Sept. 11 and is set to meet with leading business groups the following day.
The National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission held its eighth session with representatives from the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TÜRK-İŞ), the Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions of Türkiye (DİSK) and the Confederation of Turkish Real Trade Unions (HAK-İŞ).
Other participants included the Confederation of Public Employees Trade Unions (KESK), the Confederation of Public Servants Trade Union (Memur-Sen), the Turkish Confederation of Public Workers Associations (Türkiye Kamu-Sen) and the Confederation of United Public Employees Unions (Birleşik Kamu-İş).
On Sept. 12, the commission will hear from business and employer organizations. These include the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD) and the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (MÜSİAD).
Other groups scheduled to appear are the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK), the Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations (TİSK) and the Union of Turkish Chambers of Agriculture.
The commission is tasked with addressing legal, social and political dimensions of the government’s anti-terrorism campaign. Under the initiative, PKK announced its decision to dissolve and disarm following a call from its jailed leader, Abdullah Öcalan.
During the meetings, the panel was also expected to weigh whether to send a delegation to the İmralı prison island off Istanbul to meet with Öcalan, a proposal raised by the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party).
The idea was welcomed by the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) signaled support, while the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) objected.
Meanwhile, a DEM Party delegation will travel to İmralı next week to continue contacts with Öcalan.
The group will include co-chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan, along with the central executive committee members, party spokesperson Ayşegül Doğan said on Sept. 9 at a press briefing in Ankara.
"If you don’t meet with Öcalan, you lose your focus," she said. "You can’t build something new with old habits. You have to break out of the mold."
A DEM Party delegation, including MPs Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar, last met with Öcalan on Aug. 28 on İmralı. That meeting was the first since the commission was established.
