Saadet Party Hatay Deputy Assoc. Dr. Necmettin Çalışkan made harsh criticisms in the Turkish Grand National Assembly regarding the reserve area practices in the earthquake zone.
Speaking about the research proposal submitted by the Saadet Party on "Problems in Reserve Building Areas", Çalışkan said, "Citizens should be happy about getting their home, but they are worried, but the government is incapable of understanding this reaction."
He said that the government turned a deaf ear to the demands of the earthquake victims.
"FIRST THEY SAID 'BUILD THE HOUSES', NOW THEY SAY 'WE ARE DEMOLISHING'"
Drawing attention to the grievances caused by the application, Çalışkan reminded that the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that moderately and slightly damaged buildings could be repaired and used in the first stage, and that citizens repaired their houses by using loans, borrowing, and selling their savings.
Çalışkan stated that the same regions were then declared reserve areas and the citizens were victimized.
"After a while, you said, 'No, we declared this place a reserve area, get out.' So, what will happen to the citizens' grievances? People are suffering, uncertainty is at its peak," Çalışkan added.
“WE ARE NOT A RICH COUNTRY, YOU ARE WASTING NATIONAL WEALTH!”
Çalışkan stated that there are moderately damaged and slightly damaged areas in areas where citizens have high rents.
"Maybe you say to a house with an unbroken window, 'We will demolish it.' This country is not this rich, we are not rich enough to waste this national wealth," Çalışkan said.
Çalışkan also expressed the concern that the reserve area application of the people of the region could be an assimilation policy.
"The public is concerned, but no convincing answer is given to them. So you do business, you spend money, the citizens are not satisfied, but this is not understood," Çalışkan added.
Çalışkan called on the government to listen to the earthquake victims.
"These people are grieving, these people have lost their history, past, environment, knowledge, everything. Do not approach everything as opposition; Come, let's change the signatures, make this signature yours, let's investigate. You are going to do business, the people must be satisfied, the people are reacting, you are incapable of asking this question why this nation is reacting, you don't understand it," Çalışkan said.
Çalışkan called for important steps to be taken regarding the reserve area.