It has been revealed that 6.5 million Turkish citizens living abroad, whose financial assets in Turkey were reported to their countries of residence by the AKP government, have started to face legal proceedings in the European countries where they live. The Turks met in Denmark by Utku Çakırözer, a member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly's Sub-Commission on Turks Abroad and a member of the Eskişehir Parliament, said that after their bank details were sent from Ankara, they started to be questioned by Danish authorities about their account information. Çakırözer, who listened to the problems of the citizens from health services to retirement, from paid military service to the status of blue card holders, said, “Now, not only our citizens in Turkey but also millions of our citizens abroad are troubled and complaining about this government. They first denounced our own citizens in automated information sharing and then left them in the middle. They have been left alone in every issue from health to retirement, from exorbitant plane tickets to car and phone use, and they cannot get answers to their demands. We are determined to end this stepchild treatment of our citizens living in Europe.“.
EUROPEAN TURKS RECEIVING INFORMATION FROM ANKARA QUESTION
Utku Çakırözer, member of the TBMM Sub-Commission on Turks Abroad and CHP Eskişehir Deputy Utku Çakırözer came together with Turkish citizens in Denmark. In the meeting hosted by the CHP Danish Union in Izhoj, the problems of citizens abroad were discussed. Speaking at the meeting, Turks living in Denmark expressed the following problems:
* Automatic Exchange of Information: Danish government authorities have started to summon Turks living in Denmark based on information provided by the Turkish government under the Automatic Exchange of Information Agreement. It was reported that Turks living in Denmark were asked to provide detailed information about their financial savings in Turkey and that the Turkish government would be contacted in case of non-cooperation.
WE GO DOOR TO DOOR FOR OUR HEALTH
* Health: European Turks are no longer provided with health services in Turkish health institutions except in emergencies. The Danish government no longer pays for our health expenses in Turkey. When we come to Turkey, we are forced to go door to door.
OUR RIGHT TO RETIREMENT IS BEING USURPED
* Pension: In Turkey, there are huge restrictions on our pensions, which we obtained by paying premiums for the periods we worked in Turkey. They increased our contributions and reduced our salaries. On top of that, they cut off our pensions from Turkey if we do not continue working in Denmark. They are officially usurping our rights. Whereas in Turkey, no one interferes with hundreds of thousands of pensioners working in second and third jobs.
* Paid Military Service: The AKP government is constantly playing with the price of paid military service. They lower it before the elections and raise it after the elections. Increased to 5 thousand Euros, our children give up their Turkish citizenship in order not to pay the fee for military service.
* Shortage of Turkish teachers: There are great difficulties for our children to learn their mother tongue.
* Consular services: Consulates should be more staffed and the quality of service should be improved
THEY SAY ‘WHAT IS THIS!” TO THE BLUE CARD
* Status of Blue Card Holders: During the period when dual citizenship was forbidden, the Turkish state encouraged us to ’take Danish citizenship’. “We will give you a ‘blue card‘ and you will have all the rights of Turkish citizens except the right to vote and be elected”. But now, when we show the blue card when we want to make any transaction in Turkey, they say “What is this!”, it is useless for us.
WE CANNOT USE OUR OWN CARS OR PHONES
* Vehicle ownership: We want to use our own vehicles when we are in Turkey. But due to the 2-year restriction, we have great difficulties with the bureaucracy and face huge fines.
* Phone ownership: When we are in Turkey, we want to use our own phone. But after four months it is turned off, they ask for money. No matter what job we want to do, they don't accept our own cell phone, they want a Turkish cell phone.
ÇAKIRÖZER: STEPCHILD TREATMENT MUST END
After listening to the problems and expectations of the Turks living in Denmark, Çakırözer made the following assessments
“Not only our citizens living in Turkey, but also millions of our brothers and sisters abroad have problems and complaints about the AKP government. Because the AKP government does not treat them as equal citizens. We will end this stepchild treatment of European Turks. It is unacceptable that our citizens living in Denmark, Germany or other countries cannot benefit from health services in Turkey. It is unacceptable that a brother who retired from Turkey is told, ‘You cannot work in Europe anymore. Otherwise we will cut your salary’ cannot be bullied and their rights cannot be usurped. We will ensure that blue card holders have the same rights as Turkish citizens. We will solve these grievances under the Millet Alliance government.”
AKP FIRST DENOUNCED AND THEN LEFT IN THE MIDDLE
Çakırözer stated that the AKP government left 7 million Turkish citizens abroad alone by implementing the Automatic Information Sharing agreement without providing sufficient information and without allowing a transition period:
“As we have warned from the beginning, the sharing of information on the financial savings of European Turks in Turkey with their home countries has started to harm our own citizens. We have repeatedly warned that this agreement should not be implemented without informing the citizens and providing a transition period. Our Chairman Mr. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu clearly expressed this in our Group Meeting. We warned many times in the Parliament and our CHP Unions warned many times in the countries they are in. But the government did not heed our warnings. They officially denounced the information of our citizens without even informing them. Here is the result! They started in Denmark, and they have started or will start in other countries. Our citizens have started to be treated as criminals and interrogated. This process will cause great harm to millions of our citizens abroad. Unfortunately, millions of our brothers and sisters living in Europe will pay the price of the AKP government's irresponsibility and incompetence. The state must stand by our citizens living abroad in case of any problems that may arise! A unit should be established in the consulates on this issue and our citizens should be informed! Millions of our citizens abroad should not be left alone and unattended.”
FOREIGN CONSTITUENCIES SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED
‘Çakırözer also drew attention to the continued insensitivity towards Turks abroad due to the lack of an ’Overseas Electoral District“ and said, ”You contribute to the development of both countries. On the one hand, you contribute to the development of the country you live in, and on the other hand, you have been contributing to the development of Turkey for decades. You are doing very successful work. We cannot be proud of you enough. But there is still insensitivity to your very simple important problems and demands. The solution to this is to send your own representatives to the Turkish Grand National Assembly. Our Deputy Chairman Bülent Tezcan, who is in charge of Overseas Organization, has submitted our law proposal for the establishment of an Overseas Electoral District. In order to solve your problems, we must first ensure that you are represented in the Parliament.".