The libertarian Agriculture and Forestry Union accused the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of not protecting the status of veterinarians.

The Free Agriculture and Forestry Union (Hürr Tarım Orman Sen) accused the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of not protecting the status of veterinarians. Reminding the Ministry that veterinarians are included in the "Health Services and Auxiliary Health Services Class" in the Civil Servants Law, the union stated that veterinarians are treated as 'stepchild'. On the other hand, the union pointed out that international authorities such as the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization also recognize veterinary medicine as "Professionals in the Field of Health" with the code 'ISCO-08'.

'IT IS UNACCEPTABLE NOT TO PROTECT IT'

Freedomist Agriculture and Forestry Union President Muzaffer Genç spoke to Cumhuriyet regarding the status issue of veterinarians. Underlining that human, animal and environmental health is a whole, Genç emphasized that it is unacceptable that the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry does not protect the status of its own personnel. Genç also reacted to the exemption of veterinarians from many personal rights enjoyed by Ministry of Health personnel.

'IT IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE PRINCIPLE OF THE STATE OF LAW'

Arguing that the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry violated the "Equality Before the Law" principle of the constitution, Genç said that the administration had to comply with the principle of equality and fairness in all its transactions. Genç stated that ignoring the efforts of employees who face zoonotic diseases, harsh working conditions and life-threatening risks in the field conditions is incompatible with the principle of the rule of law.

'WE ARE WAITING FOR A CONCRETE ANSWER'

Genç explained that they expect an immediate clear, reasoned and concrete response from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry within the scope of the Administrative Procedure Law; He noted that if the demands are not met, the practice is not corrected, or the application is not responded to within the legal period, the matter will be immediately brought to administrative jurisdiction on behalf of thousands of veterinarians who have been victimized.

A CASE WAS FILED

Hür Tarım Orman Sen filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on August 31, demanding that veterinarians benefit from the actual service period increase.