The General Assembly of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) approved the remaining articles of the Turkish Red Crescent (Türk Kızılay) bill late on Wednesday, completing debate on all of its articles, Anadolu Agency (AA, as published by Memurlar.net), İHA (as published by Son Mühür) and 12punto reported.
Four further articles were accepted during Wednesday’s sitting, chaired by Deputy Speaker Yusuf Beyazıt, according to all three outlets. With the approval of Article 9, deliberation on every article of the bill was completed, AA and 12punto reported. None of the three reports mentioned a separate vote on the bill as a whole.
Compensation for staff in disaster zones
One of the approved articles amends the law on cash compensation and monthly pensions (Nakdi Tazminat ve Aylık Bağlanması Hakkında Kanun). Under the change, Kızılay personnel who actually work in the field carrying out the society’s activities during emergencies, disasters, war or conflict will also be entitled to cash compensation, AA, İHA and 12punto reported.
Another article amends the law on encouraging social assistance and solidarity. In provinces and districts where Kızılay has branches or representatives, the head of the provincial central branch and district branch heads will become members of the boards of trustees of the local Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations (Sosyal Yardımlaşma ve Dayanışma Vakfı), the three outlets said.
The Turkish Red Crescent law was also added to the exception clause of the Social Insurance and General Health Insurance Law, so that the new rules do not conflict with that law, according to AA, İHA and 12punto.
No plenary sitting on Thursday
After Article 9 was approved, the sitting was briefly suspended and a proposal from parliament’s advisory committee (Danışma Kurulu) was read out and accepted, AA, İHA and 12punto reported. Under the proposal, the General Assembly will not meet on Thursday, 12 November, according to all three outlets.
Beyazıt then closed the sitting, and the General Assembly is due to reconvene on Tuesday, 17 November, AA, İHA and 12punto reported.
For the bill’s place on this week’s agenda, see our preview of the parliamentary week.
Sources
- Kızılay Kanunu Teklifi Meclis’ten Geçti: Sahadaki Personele Tazminat (Memurlar.net / AA)
- 9 maddelik Türk Kızılay Kanunu Teklifi TBMM’den geçti (Son Mühür / İHA)
- TBMM Genel Kurulu’nda görüşülen Türk Kızılay Kanunu Teklifi’nin tüm maddeleri kabul edildi (12punto)
Photo: bynyalcin / CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
