Parliament opens, regulations affecting millions are coming! Alimony, smoking, social media...

The Grand National Assembly of Turkey will end the recess it began following the adoption of the framework law on August 10, on October 1. The 5th legislative year of the 28th term in the TBMM will open with a special session to be held on Thursday, October 1, at 14:00.

An opening reception hosted by TBMM Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş will be held on the same day. The main work in the General Assembly and committees is expected to begin on Tuesday, October 6.

One of the first agenda items of the new legislative year will be the "fund crisis," which has sparked debate in the public eye. While it is stated that opposition parties are preparing motions to open a parliamentary investigation into the matter, Kurtulmuş had also said that if a proposal is submitted, an investigation committee could be established to examine the issue in all its dimensions.

In evaluations made by the AKP front, it is stated that the topic could be handled not only as a "fund crisis" but as investment instruments in general. Political contacts are expected to clarify whether such a committee will be established after the Parliament opens.

KIZILAY BILL IS FIRST IN LINE

The regulation expected to be addressed first in the General Assembly will be the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) Bill, which was submitted last legislative year but could not be discussed due to a busy agenda. The 9-article bill contains provisions regarding the duties, powers, rights, and exemptions of the Turkish Red Crescent.

According to the bill, no other legal entity can be established that aims for the exclusive rights and obligations of the Turkish Red Crescent arising from international agreements. The institution will also be able to use the names Türkiye Kızılay Derneği, Türkiye Kızılay Cemiyeti, Kızılay Derneği, Kızılay Cemiyeti, and Kızılay.

First aid services in disasters and emergencies, disaster logistics, and products and services for temporary shelter are envisioned to be considered strategic procurement. In this context, some procurements will be able to be directly sourced from the Turkish Red Crescent or from enterprises, affiliates, and companies in which it holds more than half of the capital, without being subject to the Public Procurement Law.

The bill also regulates the transfer of data within the Ministry of Family and Social Services to the Turkish Red Crescent under a protocol to be made and within the scope of the Personal Data Protection Law, in order to prevent duplication in social assistance. Payment of cash compensation to personnel working in the field during extraordinary periods is also among the topics of the bill.

DIGITAL ACCOMMODATION, SMOKING, AND JUDICIAL PACKAGE

Another bill expected to come to the committee agenda in October will be the regulation regarding digital accommodation platforms. Platforms such as Airbnb, TravelGo, and Booking will be required to obtain permission from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. It is envisioned that foreign platforms will obtain a permit certificate within 3 months after the regulation enters into force and pay a tourism share of 7.5 per ten thousand to the Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency.

Work is also continuing in the AKP Group on restricting tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes, in public areas. Restricting smoking in some public areas, primarily hospital gardens, in front of emergency services, school gardens, and playgrounds, is on the agenda. The bill, which will be prepared based on the work of the Ministry of Health, is aimed to be submitted to the Parliament in October.

The 13th Judicial Package, which the Ministry of Justice and the AKP Group are working on, is also expected to be submitted to the TBMM Speaker's Office in October. The package is expected to include family law regulations regarding alimony and divorce processes. There is a focus on abolishing the controversial "indefinite alimony" practice and determining the alimony period based on the duration of the marriage.

A new model is also being planned for problems arising from the long duration of divorce cases. Accordingly, a divorce decision will be made first; topics such as custody, alimony, and property division will be concluded in separate cases.

It is stated that the social media regulation, which was discussed but postponed last legislative year, may also be included in the 13th Judicial Package. According to the draft study, identity verification via e-Devlet for the use of social media accounts by real persons will come to the agenda. The regulation aims to prevent fake and bot accounts and to facilitate the identification of perpetrators in crimes committed on social media.