Parliamentary panel hears business groups in anti-terror push
ANKARA
A parliamentary commission tasked with guiding the government’s "terror-free Türkiye" initiative heard testimony from leading business and employer organizations on Sept. 12, a day after meeting with labor unions.
The National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission convened its ninth session with representatives from 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).
The Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK), the Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations (TİSK) and the Union of Turkish Chambers of Agriculture also attended.
On Sept. 11, the panel hosted labor unions, including the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TÜRK-İŞ), the Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions (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).
The commission is charged with addressing legal, social and political dimensions of the anti-terrorism campaign. Under the project, PKK announced plans to dissolve and disarm following a call from its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan.
Lawmakers on the panel were also set to weigh whether to send a delegation to the İmralı prison island off Istanbul to meet with Öcalan, a proposal backed by the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party).
The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), a key government ally, signaled support for the idea, while the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) voiced objections.
