The International Congress of Democracy entitled as “July 15 - Global Chess” started with a spectacular opening attendedby the Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım. The opening ceremony held with theparticipation of more than 4  thousand forestry and agricultural workers,theMinistry of Forestry and Water Works, Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroğlu, and Salim Usluwho is the Honorary Chair of Hak-İş, Administrative Manager of TBMM and ÇorumDeputy, Hayati Yazıcı, the General Vice President of AK Party, Ankara GovernorErcan Topaca, mayor, bureaucrats, trade unionists, relatives of July 15 martyrsand veterans, journalists and managers of trade unions and non-governmentalorganizations from 43 countries in Ato Congresium, Ankara.

SettarAslan, the Vice President of Hak-İş and the Leader of Öz Orman-İş Trade Unionwho made the opening speech, gave significant messages in respect of 4subjects. Settar Aslan, having conveyed in his speech the coup attempt on July15 and the respective incidents that took place then, advised on the reason whythis International Congress of Democracy entitled as “July 15 Coup Attempt –Global Chess was organized. Aslan, pointing out the fact that Öz Orman-İş isthe pioneering non-governmental organization which organized the discussion ofthe subject in detail at an international level for the first time, said thatFETÖ terrorist organization and its international accomplices are striving toperplex and disprove the July 15 facts through blackpropaganda  Aslan, stating that certain allies of Turkey under theinfluence of such propaganda accuse “the public having opposed the coup attemptand the democratically elected Government instead of the coup plotters”, toldthat “based on this reason, we wanted to tell our international partners inperson the facts in respect of July 15”.

 REFERENDUM ATTITUDE

 Remindingof the fact that Turkey has changed 45 governments during the history of theRepublic and the Parliamentarian System continually creates political crises,Aslan went on as follows:

 “Turkeyis in need of political stability and development at a rapid pace. We are ofthe opinion that PRESIDENCY GOVERNMENTSYSTEM relying upon the will of the nation will best address such need.Like we elect the members of the Parliament, we want to directly elect thePresident of the Government. Because, this is more appropriate in contemplationof democracy. Therefore, we will vote for “yes” in the ConstitutionalReferendum which will take place on April 16”

 EXPECTATION OF TENURE

 Inhis speech, Settar Aslan mentioned about the troubles suffered by our memberswho are employed for 5 months and 29 days a year and summarized as follows:

 “Thesewarriors of fire do not wish to be out of mind although they are out of sighton the wild and remote mountain tops. These laborers who are out for theirregular forest shifts on mountains, starting on May 15 of every year, keepwatch and ward for fire 7 days, 24 hours until the end of October. They strivetheir best to protect the woods of our homeland, being away from their wivesand children. These workers of ours, as other members of our society, riskedtheir lives in the face of tanks on the night of July 15. They stood outagainst and confronted the barrels of heavy weapons. Our forestry workersbelieve in the fact that their lives have no meaning without the existence ofthis country. Now, our brothers from 81 provinces around Turkey have comearound here with the love of country and hope in their hearts. My HonorablePrime Minister, they expect good news that you will tell them.

OurGovernment allowed 218 thousand public workers to be tenured in 2007. However,since the tenure is not given to the institution, but the person, the tenure ofthose workers who are retired or quit employment are cancelled. The number oftenured workers in the forestry sector over the past ten years has decreasedtwo-third. Our Forestry Organization, with the inability to employ tenuredworkers, strive to close the manpower deficit through untenured temporaryworkers. However, forestry labor is a skilled labor which is classified as aheavy and dangerous work which entails certain expertise.

Despitethe fact that there are myriad of works to be performed and our ForestryOrganization wishes to employ, such workers may only be allowed to work duringthe half of the year owing to the impediment imposed by Law No. 5620. For thisreason, hundreds of heavy-construction machineries of our Forestry Organizationare left idle due to lack of tenured workers. On the other hand, around 500forest fires occurred in our country over the past 3.5 months. In the absenceof any employment of temporary workers during such time, a fire teams torespond to such fires could not be set up. Thus, the work in our forest ispermanent while the worker is temporary … However, there should not be anytemporary worker but there may be a temporary work. So, our thousand workerswho have crowded this hall and thousands of other temporary workers who arecurrently watching us on their televisions are curiously expecting in hope thegood news from you, our Honorable Prime Minister, to be employed for a periodof 12 months”

 PRIME MINISTER YILDIRIM: “I PERSONALLY WITNESSTHE EFFORTS”

 ThePrime Minister, Binali Yıldırım, the honorary guest of the InternationalCongress of Democracy, pointed out that the laborers serving our forests puttheir heart and soul in doing so in his speech, and stated that:

 “Youforest workers!... You, our brothers who sweat blood by serving devotedly! ...You may be out of sight but please be assured that you are on our minds. I wellknow and closely witness that your President, Settar Aslan, is using his bestendeavors for the resolution of your problems.”

 ThePrime Minister Binali Yıldırım who continued with his speech accompanied byheavy applaud, cheering and slogans of “Tenure” continued as follows:

 “I INSTRUCTED FOR THE RESOLUTION”

 “Well,since the beginning of our presence in this hall, everyone and his brotherheard about your demands in respect of the resolution of the problems oftemporary forestry workers. We have a significant issue of seasonal andtemporary workers, subcontractors’ workers and a similar issue in the publicsector. We have never been pro-populist when sorting out the problems and weshall have nothing to do with populism from now onward. Encouraging hope andattaining the fruits of it is our greatest sensibility. We know this issue. Wealso know that the resolution is not easily attainable. However, we know thatthis must be resolved one way or the other. For this reason, dearsubcontractors’ workers, our seasonal workers and our 4-C registered workers ….I have instructed my friends for sorting out such issues, and they areconducting necessary studies. Hopefully, an appropriate resolution would befound out. We have never left any issue unsolved and will never do so in thefuture.”

 THANKS, AND “YES”

 ThePrime Minister, Binali Yıldırım, extending his thanks to Öz Orman-İş TradeUnion and its Leader, Settar Aslan who organized the International Congress ofDemocracy, said that “I extend my thanks and gratitude to Öz Orman-İş TradeUnion which organized such an amazing event, having raised awareness by tellingthe whole world and our country, the July 15 democracy battle. I would alsolike to thank the representatives of trade unions of 40 countries who havetravelled a long way from home for their participation”.

 ThePrime Minister, Binalı Yıldırım raised questions several times relating toTurkey’s independence, development, and April 16 referendum to thousand workerswho crowded the hall and were highly exhilarated, and got a very strongresponse of “Yes” each and every time.

 TheMinister of Forestry and Water Works, Veysel Eroğlu, telling about the heroicopposition of the laborers working in the Forestry Organization in his speechduring congress opening ceremony, thanked all laborers who opposed the invasionof their country at the cost of their lives on the night of July 15.

 SalimUslu, the honorary member of the congress who is also the honorary member ofHak-İş, Administrative Manager of TBMM and Çorum Deputy, in his speech duringthe opening said that everyone who courageously embraced his independence andfuture on July 15 served as a model for the world.

 SalimUslu, stating that Öz Orman-İş’s having organized such an extensive andfar-reaching international congress about July 15 is an exemplary success andalso criticizing some of our allies for their statements “recommendingmoderation” instead of opposing the coup attempt, said that Now, we haveturned our bitter experience into a sweet edge and we keep on with our march ofNew Turkey in a resolute manner. We enabled our people to untie the knot ofPresidency election deadlocked by the powers of guardianship in 2007. Now, weare going out to the people for changing the Governmental system to end anyguardianship”.

 PierreJean Coulon, European and International Confederal Secretary of the FrenchConfederation of Christian Workers and Section Head of Transportation, Energy,Infrastructures, Information Society of European Economy and Social Committee,criticized the European politicians for their hard-hearted and recklessattitude during the July 15 Coup Attempt and emphasized the fact that TurkishPublic fought a great battle of democracy and independence on July 15. Coulonfinalized his words by saying “Yes… Yes… Yes…” for the referendum in respect ofthe Presidency Government System to be held on April 16.

The speech of a teacher DeryaOvacıklı who was wounded heavily by the bullets shot by the coup plottersoldiers together while opposing with his thousands of fellow townsmen ofKahramankazan around Akıncı airbase on July 15 and who has been under treatmentin the hospital over the past 7.5 months touched the hearts of everyone presentat the hall, especially the that of Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım. Relativesof martyrs and veterans having participated through the organization of LokmanErtürk of Ovacık, who is also the Mayor of Kahramankazan, got a great attentionof forestry and agricultural workers having crowded the hall. Our members racedwith each other to catch a photo shot with our veterans.