CHP's Süllü reacts to permanent daylight saving time: 'Steps must be taken to return to winter time'

CHP Eskişehir Deputy Dr. Jale Nur Süllü has submitted a legislative proposal to the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey to abolish the permanent daylight saving time practice.

In the justification for the proposal, which seeks to amend the Law on the Division of the Day into Twenty-Four Hours, Süllü stated that the goal of ending permanent daylight saving time is to ensure energy savings, while also addressing the negative impacts on workers, particularly students and working women, and reducing the time difference with European countries.

"Recalling that the summer-winter time practice, which had been in place since 1972, was abolished in 2016 by a Council of Ministers decree during a period when privatizations were accelerating, with electricity distribution regions and areas of production, transmission, distribution, and operation being transferred to private companies, Süllü said, "The Council of State had ruled that the decision lacked a legal basis and suspended the practice. However, despite the Council of State's ruling, the political administration abolished the summer-winter time practice with a new decision in 2017. In our country, where permanent time has been in effect for 7 years, citizens who go to work or school in the dark are reacting against the failure to implement winter time."

"WHY IS THE ITU REPORT KEPT SECRET?"

Stating that scientific studies have been conducted regarding claims of increased electricity consumption and that these claims have not been verified, Süllü asked, “We have submitted numerous parliamentary questions to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. However, the details and scientific basis of the report, which is said to have been prepared by Istanbul Technical University (ITU) and cited as the justification for the practice, are not being shared. Why is the ITU Report being kept secret?”

Noting that the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) Chamber of Electrical Engineers has stated that permanent daylight saving time causes various problems due to darkness in the morning and evening hours, especially as one moves westward, Süllü stated, “It has been observed that the permanent daylight saving time practice provides additional earnings to the private sector, increases the state's payments to electricity companies, and that the claim of energy savings has not been realized.”

RISKY IN TERMS OF SAFETY

Stating that the passage of the proposal would lead to a return to winter time, Süllü said, “While students going to school in the dark and returning home in the dark carries risks in terms of safety, it also creates negative effects on their productivity in lessons and their development. Working women, in particular, are also forced to go to work in the dark and return home in the dark. Considering Turkey's time zone and the advantages of commercial and economic alignment with European countries, necessary steps must be taken to return to the summer-winter time practice.”

News Source: 12punto