Available for the British, not for the Turk

Last week, a 21-year-old won a jackpot in a game of chance in England. The young man, named James Evens, will receive 10,000 pounds every month for 30 years from the game called 'Set For Life'. At today's exchange rate, that is 440,000 Turkish Liras per month...

So, what is the situation with games of chance in Turkey?

Milli Piyango appears to have been constantly losing money since the day Demirören partnered with the Italian company Sisal. For example, it was revealed that the company lost 400 million in games of chance in 2023 and billed this loss to the state.

Milli Piyango, which incurred a loss of 400 million liras, did not transfer the 356 million liras it was required to transfer to the Wealth Fund.

According to the report submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), the loss was converted into profit by deducting it from the public share. In other words, Milli Piyango transferred the 356 million liras it was supposed to transfer to the state to itself. It covered the remaining loss from prizes not claimed by winners. According to the report, more than 3 billion liras in prizes were distributed in 2023.

So, what is the situation in the last six months? Sisal Şans has not awarded a jackpot in the numerical lottery it has been running for 6 months. The rollover amount has reached 559 million TL since July 27. The men walking around in the background while the balls are spinning, and the announcer making announcements before the ball even drops, have also changed the perspective on games of chance in Turkey.

We said it is available for the British but not for the Turk; there is another area where what is given to the British is not given to the Turk. But this time, it is not a reward, but a penalty...

In 2023, the then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was fined for not wearing a seatbelt while filming a video in a moving car.

Moreover, he was not even in the driver's seat, but sitting in the back! In England, everyone in a moving vehicle is required to wear a seatbelt.

Again in the same year, the then-Minister of State for Immigration, Robert Jenrick, was banned from driving for 6 months and fined 1,639 pounds as a result of a lawsuit filed on the grounds that he exceeded the speed limit.

So, who are these penalties available for the British but not for? To exactly 3,600 former and current members of parliament in Turkey!

A "Penalty Exemption" has been introduced in traffic for 3,600 former and current members of parliament. No matter which rule the deputies violate, they will not pay a single penny in fines. Even if the deputies run a red light, park incorrectly, or exceed the speed limit and get caught by radar, they will not pay traffic fines.

Come on, can there be a privilege for a mistake? A mistake is a mistake. A crime is a crime. Can it be forgiven according to the person or their position?

"Can you say, 'Then let theft, rape, and murder also not be forbidden for these privileged people?'"

Although this is not about being exempt from these crimes, being tried with privilege or being acquitted is not very difficult for a privileged class in Turkey...

If the decision is approved by the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Numan Kurtulmuş, it will come into effect. Two vehicles of current members of parliament and one vehicle of former members of parliament will be exempt from traffic fines. Be more careful when you hit the road from now on. If an old or new member of parliament comes and hits you while you are crossing the street because the light is green for you, you are the one at fault. Because they can run a red light.

SHAME!

Since the subject has come to traffic, let's also write about what privilege is capable of in Turkey. As you know, Fatma Zehra Kınık Demir, the daughter of the former head of the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay), Kerem Kınık, who came to the agenda for selling tents to earthquake victims, caused the death of a 17-year-old child and the injury of two people in a traffic accident she had last July.

The traffic monster Fatma Zehra Kınık Demir was found 100 percent at fault according to the expert report. Despite this, our daughter, who did not spend a single day in prison, has now made another request for a reward from the court.

The lawyers of Fatma Zehra Kınık Demir, who was released after being detained for only one day, requested the removal of their client's travel ban in the second hearing of the case. Their lawyers' justification is that Kınık is pursuing a master's degree abroad! Thank God they didn't ask for the education expenses from the grieving family of 17-year-old Batın Barlasçeki, who lost his life in the accident and whose right to life, let alone education, was taken away...