Trabzon fans are facing a test
I would guess that no other football federation, up to now, has ever proved as incapable as the Demirören federation. More importantly, it has made decisions such that while it tried to improve some things, it upset the apple cart.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has transformed the league’s matches into a war. They have set the fans against each other. Look at this situation: Galatasaray is up on its feet. Trabzonspor is rebellious. Beşiktaş is surprised; it does not know what to do.
They all share the belief that the federation, in order to protect Fenerbahçe, trampled the others. I do not believe there was such a malicious intention, but the fans seem to believe that. And then the atmosphere becomes tense. Fenerbahçe fans, to the contrary, believe they have been sacrificed, and are reacting fiercely.
Fenerbahçe will play Trabzonspor in Trabzon on Sunday. Next week Galatasaray goes to Kadıköy. What will happen then? Where will we go with this fury? According to the papers, thousands of Trabzon fans are preparing to take their revenge against the federation out on Fenerbahçe players. Don’t ever! Don’t do it.
What would suit the Trabzon community best is would be to play their games and let their administrators deal with the dispute. Trabzon spectators will pass through a big test on Sunday. What we expect from them is that they will maintain their gentlemanly behavior.
Milk for minority schools
They only total 2,500. I’m talking about students in minority schools. No milk is provided for them.
Why? Aren’t they also Turkish citizens? Don’t those children have a right to drink milk too? Well, we understand that no milk is provided for students at private schools because they have ample opportunities. However, it is impossible to understand why minority foundation schools are excluded from this campaign.
Cüneyt Özdemir asked this question on his TV show Thursday evening. I agree with him. Education Minister Ömer Dinçer will definitely deal with this. We are waiting.
Subcontracted firefighters
“There are about 800 firefighters working for the Metropolitan Municipality of Istanbul… We used to work at [Istanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi] Bimtaş, but because we wanted to enroll in a union they have transferred us to a private firm, Makro Otomasyon. Since 2005, we have been sent off to every kind of incident in Istanbul.
Even though we do the same job as staff firefighters, they receive about 1,500 Turkish Liras more than we do. They also have various social [security] rights. We have no social rights. We sign a new contract every three months. No one hears our voice. Please lend an ear to us. We are doing the same job. We work together. Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş has promised us [assistance many times]. But there has not been even the slightest development. At the end of each term, we are in fear of losing our jobs.”
[From a written statement sent in on behalf of Istanbul contract firefighters.]
Rahmi Koç is not our garbage collector
This past week, the Turkish Marine Environment Protection Association (TURMEPA) organized the 1st International Marmara and Black Sea Conference and warned all of us: A day will come when there will be no fish left and we will not be able to swim in the seas. The summer months are approaching, and the pathetic situation facing our seas will be a topic for discussion.
Businessman Rahmi Koç has been working to save our seas for 18 years through TURMEPA. Now, Tezcan Yaramancı has taken over the flag. They used to be regarded as the “garbage collectors of the seas.” Now, for me, they are pioneers, each of them heroes. However, those who are really responsible are the metropolitan municipalities and local municipalities. We’re watching them.
