Parliament fails to convene for debate on health violence
ANKARA
The parliament failed to convene for an extraordinary meeting to discuss violence against health workers and a law proposal on the issue on Aug. 1 due to insufficient participation of lawmakers.
The Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the İYİ (Good) Party made the call for an extraordinary meeting to discuss the issue that is high on the public agenda as there have been several violent cases against health workers.
“I invite our general assembly to convene an extraordinary meeting to pass the anti-violence law. Instead of ‘looking sad,’ if you’re really upset, let’s settle this matter immediately,” CHP chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu tweeted in early July.
Following the CHP’s call for an extraordinary meeting to address violence against health care workers, Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop called the General Assembly to convene on Aug. 1.
However, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) did not participate in the extraordinary meeting.
At least 200 deputies must be present in order for the assembly to be opened.
The AKP group deputy chair, Mahir Ünal, announced that they would not attend the meeting, saying, “It is obvious that the aim of making a political show over such a sensitive issue as health is very clear.”
Erkan Akçay, the MHP group deputy chair, also stated that the issue was abused by the CHP and said that they would not attend the meeting.
