'Bill on Amendments to the Law on Foundations' in Committee

Under the bill, operators of marinas, ports, coastal facilities, and vessels or maritime tourism vehicles will be required to keep identity information and entry/exit records of those staying at their facilities. Revenue from naming rights, support, and sponsorships aimed at incorporating cultural assets into the zoning, restoration, and cultural inventory will be added to revolving fund revenues for archaeological sites, cultural centers, concert venues, and cultural events such as operas, seminars, symposiums, exhibitions, festivals, and congresses, excluding those organized by the General Directorate of State Theaters and the General Directorate of State Opera and Ballet.

With the amendment to the Tourism Encouragement Law, an administrative fine of 25 thousand liras will be imposed by the local chief administrative authority for each advertisement on accommodation businesses that post advertisements for the promotion, marketing, and sale of unlicensed accommodation facilities in an electronic environment.

An administrative fine of 25 thousand liras will be imposed for each advertisement on those who do not include valid document numbers from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism database in their operations, as well as on those who facilitate the electronic commerce and promotion of unlicensed accommodation businesses and fail to remove the content within 24 hours despite a warning from the Ministry.

With the Bill on Amendments to the Law on Foundations and Certain Other Laws, which was accepted by the TBMM Committee on Public Works, Reconstruction, Transportation and Tourism, the area containing shipwrecks from the naval battles in Çanakkale will be included within the borders of the Gallipoli Historical Site of the Çanakkale Wars. Regulations are being made regarding the principles to be followed and certain definitions concerning the protection, improvement, and development of the Gallipoli Historical Site of the Çanakkale Wars.

Speaking at the opening of the committee, Karaismailoğlu said, "The bill consists of 19 articles, including those on enforcement and execution. The bill contains amendments or regulations in a total of 10 different laws."

DEM Party Batman Deputy Zeynep Oduncu Kutevi submitted a motion of "unconstitutionality" regarding the current bill. The motion stated, "Due to the fact that Article 11 of the Bill is contrary to Articles 2, 10, 13, 35, 46, and 63 of the Constitution, we request that the committee deliberations be suspended and the bill be referred to the Presidency of the Justice Committee for examination regarding its compliance with the Constitution."

Committee Chairman Karaismailoğlu, who submitted the motion to the vote of the deputies, adjourned the meeting as a quorum was not reached. The motion was rejected in the vote held after the break.

Kirişçi gave the floor to the bill's sponsor, AKP Ankara Deputy Zeynep Yıldız. Stating that the bill, in its essence, contains amendments to the Law on Foundations as well as changes aimed at strengthening the scope of application in certain areas, Yıldız said, "Of course, when we talk about foundations, we are frankly facing a title that each of us must pay double attention to, because we are truly a foundation civilization, and this identity of a foundation civilization is actually not an empty phrase. Wherever we go in Turkey, and not just in Turkey, the foundation works left by our civilization in different parts of the world essentially maintain their existence today despite centuries passing, and in many different places we visit today, we encounter a great deal of work, from the restorations carried out by the General Directorate of Foundations to projects sustained in the social sense.

From the restoration of the Diyarbakır Grand Mosque - I must say this as an Ankara deputy - to the Ahi Şerafettin Mosque, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, our General Directorate of Foundations has restored a village mosque in Haymana, the Kara Hoca Mosque, and this restoration was carried out by completely preserving the pen work.

Therefore, the General Directorate of Foundations is essentially both preserving a memory and keeping a tradition alive, and throughout history, many details have been considered, from foundations that prepared dowries for young girls to foundations that erased graffiti, protected storks, taught calligraphy, repaired books, or provided hot water for those performing ablutions in winter. Therefore, ensuring the sustainability of this culture, this approach to civilization, and the concept of the 'foundation person' is extremely important for us," she said.