Will daylight saving time return to Turkey? When will clocks be set back?
The GMT+3 time zone, made permanent in 2016, creates safety concerns for students and workers by increasing morning darkness during the winter months. As winter approaches, demands to set clocks back have increased, but since no official announcement has been made, the current practice is expected to continue.
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In accordance with a decision made in 2016, Turkey ended the practice of switching between daylight saving and winter time, adopting the GMT+3 time zone year-round. However, students and workers have expressed difficulties regarding safety and productivity, particularly due to the darkness of mornings during the winter months. With the approach of the winter season, the issue of setting clocks back has returned to the agenda.
WILL CLOCKS BE SET BACK?
With the regulation introduced in 2016, daylight saving time was made permanent to make better use of daylight. By a presidential decree published in the Official Gazette, it was decided that Turkey would remain in the GMT+3 time zone throughout the year. As there has been no official announcement regarding a transition to winter time this year, clocks are not expected to be set back.
WHEN WILL NIGHTS GET LONGER?
In the Northern Hemisphere, nights began to lengthen and daylight hours began to shorten following the September 23 equinox. The longest night will occur on December 21, the date of the winter solstice.
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BACK ON THE AGENDA
The practice of switching between daylight saving and winter time was first implemented in 1916 during World War I in Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Great Britain. The primary goal of this practice was to save energy by making better use of daylight.
Germany reintroduced daylight saving time following the oil crises of the 1970s, and this practice has continued to be used by European Union countries since 1996. The future of this practice in Turkey continues to be a subject of debate due to the increasing darkness during the winter months.