HDP VOWS TO BE 'SULTAN'S NIGHTMARE' IN TURKEY ELECTIONS, PROMISES TO OPEN ARMENIA BORDER
18:16, 21 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
Turkey's opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has announced its
election manifesto for the June 7 parliamentary elections, promising
freedoms in many areas, particularly targeting women and youth,
theHurriyet Daily News reports.
HDP co-chairs Selahattin DemirtaÅ~_ and Figen Yuksekdag made promises
in several areas, including the economy, foreign policy, freedoms
and rights, the environment and green energy.
"The election manifesto that we present is the nightmare of the sultan
and the dream of all the peoples of Turkey," HDP co-chair Yuksekdag
said in an apparent reference to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
who presents the upcoming polls as a referendum to switch from the
current parliamentary system to a presidential one.
DemirtaÅ~_ said the HDP will distribute cards to all people between
the ages of 15 and 25 which will give them 200 Turkish Liras annually
for transportation and communication. This card will also allow free
entrance to all museums across the country.
The HDP vowed to lower the voting age to 16 and the age of candidates
for parliamentary seats to 18.
The party also pledged to establish a Women Ministry, which would
replace the current Family and Social Policies Ministry. The party
will open local kindergartens, which will be free of charge and provide
education in the students' mother tongue, according to the manifesto.
The party said the new constitution will be centered on women and
added International Women's Day on March 8 will be declared as
official holiday.
The minimum wage will be increased to 1,800 Turkish Liras while the
minimum retirement pension will also be increased to 1,800 liras,
according to the party's election manifesto.
Speaking on foreign politics, DemirtaÅ~_ said the border between Turkey
and Armenia will be opened unconditionally and the embargo on Armenia
will be lifted. "We will support the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue between Armenia and Azerbaijan," he said.
On the issue of compulsory religion classes in schools, Yuksekdag
said they will remove the religion classes from the curriculum. The
compulsory religion classes have been widely criticized by the Alevi
community in Turkey for undermining their identity and beliefs.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/hdp-vows-to-be-sultans-nightmare-in-turkey-elections.aspx?pageID=238&nID=81351&NewsCatID=338
http://www.armradio.am/en/2015/04/21/hdp-vows-to-be-sultans-nightmare-in-turkey-elections-promises-to-open-armenia-border/
18:16, 21 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
Turkey's opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has announced its
election manifesto for the June 7 parliamentary elections, promising
freedoms in many areas, particularly targeting women and youth,
theHurriyet Daily News reports.
HDP co-chairs Selahattin DemirtaÅ~_ and Figen Yuksekdag made promises
in several areas, including the economy, foreign policy, freedoms
and rights, the environment and green energy.
"The election manifesto that we present is the nightmare of the sultan
and the dream of all the peoples of Turkey," HDP co-chair Yuksekdag
said in an apparent reference to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
who presents the upcoming polls as a referendum to switch from the
current parliamentary system to a presidential one.
DemirtaÅ~_ said the HDP will distribute cards to all people between
the ages of 15 and 25 which will give them 200 Turkish Liras annually
for transportation and communication. This card will also allow free
entrance to all museums across the country.
The HDP vowed to lower the voting age to 16 and the age of candidates
for parliamentary seats to 18.
The party also pledged to establish a Women Ministry, which would
replace the current Family and Social Policies Ministry. The party
will open local kindergartens, which will be free of charge and provide
education in the students' mother tongue, according to the manifesto.
The party said the new constitution will be centered on women and
added International Women's Day on March 8 will be declared as
official holiday.
The minimum wage will be increased to 1,800 Turkish Liras while the
minimum retirement pension will also be increased to 1,800 liras,
according to the party's election manifesto.
Speaking on foreign politics, DemirtaÅ~_ said the border between Turkey
and Armenia will be opened unconditionally and the embargo on Armenia
will be lifted. "We will support the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue between Armenia and Azerbaijan," he said.
On the issue of compulsory religion classes in schools, Yuksekdag
said they will remove the religion classes from the curriculum. The
compulsory religion classes have been widely criticized by the Alevi
community in Turkey for undermining their identity and beliefs.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/hdp-vows-to-be-sultans-nightmare-in-turkey-elections.aspx?pageID=238&nID=81351&NewsCatID=338
http://www.armradio.am/en/2015/04/21/hdp-vows-to-be-sultans-nightmare-in-turkey-elections-promises-to-open-armenia-border/