Suggestion for Kangal Power Plant, where production stopped and workers were sent on unpaid leave: 'It should not be sold, it should be nationalized'

NEW Party Sivas Deputy Ulaş Karasu brought the issue to the Parliament agenda with parliamentary questions. He presented parliamentary questions to be answered by Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek and Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan. Pointing out that Konya Şeker purchased the power plant for 985 million dollars in 2013 and now put it up for sale with an estimated price of 285 million dollars, Karasu said that there is a nominal difference of 700 million dollars between the two prices and asked for an explanation on what economic, financial and technical grounds this difference arose. Pointing out that the cessation of production at the power plant causes concerns about the economic future of the region and the living conditions of the employees, Karasu requested that the power plant be operated by the public instead of being sold to the private sector again.

SITUATION OF WORKERS

Karasu noted that workers were put on paid and unpaid leave and that the Ministry of Labor and Social Security was responsible for job security. In the parliamentary question that he wanted Minister Vedat Işıkhan to answer, Karasu said, "Your ministry must fulfill its supervision and protection responsibilities in the face of employees being put on leave, their wages and social rights being dragged into uncertainty, the possibility of termination of employment contracts and not announcing any calendar regarding re-employment." Karasu also asked for information about whether an inspection was initiated at the workplace or not.

He noted that what happened in Soma was also an important warning for Kangal. Reiterating his call for the future of Kangal Thermal Power Plant, Karasu emphasized that the priority should not be resale, but rather making production sustainable, making the necessary investments and protecting the rights of employees.

'MUST START PRODUCTION AGAIN'

Karasu said, "Our issue is not only the survival of the power plant, but also the protection of the workers' bread, the future of Kangal, the production power of Sivas and the common interests of the society. It is not the commercial accounts of the companies that should be taken as basis in the management of public assets. Kangal Thermal should start production again, the rights of the employees should be secured and this facility should continue to serve Sivas and our country."