PM Erdogan rejected May Day in Taksim square
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Erdogan rejected the Turkish trade unions' demand of celebrating the Worker's day in Istanbul's Taksim square at his speech at AKP's group meeting on Tuesday. Erdogan said, this kind of attempts are mostly misused by "illegal organizations".
Trade unions are among the country's legal organizations and democratic instututions but it should not be forgotten that this kind of big celebrations are followed and misused by "illegal organizations" said Erdogan. As a result of such a misuse legal organizations can also be wounded even they carry good intentions at their trials, Erdogan added.
Â
Erdogan who met with leaders of three major Turkish trade unions and the Minister of Labor and Social Security Faruk Celik prior to his explanation said, "We had severe May Day experiences before, especially we remember the celebrations in the year 1977 and 1996 with great sorrow because of the provocations come out."
36 people were killed on May 1, 1977, a date since referred to as the "Bloody May 1." Also, three attendents died at May Day celebrations in 1996 which held in Ä°stanbul's Kadikoy. Â
Last week, Turkey Labor Unions Confederation (Turk-Is), Labor Unions Confederation (DISK) and Confederation of Public Employees Labour Unions (KESK) demanded to celebrate May Day at Taksim Square on May 1 and a controversial debate started between unions and government.
Last week, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said, "It will be mayhem when the feet start to manage the head," regarding the demands being made by unions for the Taksim celebrations. In Turkish, "feet" is also used to describe "mob." Turkish unions strongly reacted to the statement, saying, they were "saddened" and continue their determination to hold celebrations in Taksim.
After that the governor of Istanbul declined to open Taksim Square for May Day celebrations, rejecting demands of Turkish unions.
"Taksim Square is not among the places that were determined and declared as appropriate for such celebrations. Therefore it is impossible to hold May Day celebrations in Taksim Square," Guler said, adding a criminal complaint was filed against the unions, a move likely to raise tensions further.
Last year, celebrations turned violent and 1,000 people were taken into custody after one union attempted to hold a May Day celebration in Taksim Square.