In . – 02/19/2023 18:10 (act. 02/19/2023 18:10)
SPÖ spokeswoman for global development, Petra Bayr, criticized the Turkish president for his actions following the strong earthquake in Turkey and Syria. ©APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER
SPÖ spokeswoman for global development Petra Bayr sharply criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday in connection with the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
“Although the death toll after the earthquake in Turkey and Syria is around 50,000, the Turkish government continues to provide aid in a highly selective manner: almost no aid reaches wherever Kurds or Alevis live,” Bayr wrote in a statement. the press.
Earthquake: SPÖ criticizes Turkish President Erdogan
Furthermore, the Turkish army is bombing these areas and coldly aggravating the suffering of millions of people, according to the SPÖ politician. “In doing so, Erdogan is using a strategy he always follows when under domestic political pressure: he creates a new problem to distract from his own. This time it is the massive criticism of his failure in earthquake policy in recent years: in Instead of money earmarked for spending on resilient construction and precautionary measures for long-predicted stronger earthquakes, other pots were used, when building regulations were broken, people looked the other way – only now there are arrests and complaints.”
Turkish government refuses to open border with Syria
Furthermore, the Turkish government still refuses to open border crossings into Syria so that international aid can arrive more easily. Hoping to secure his majority in parliamentary elections planned for mid-May, Erdogan is playing domestic politics with her. “It is absolutely unacceptable to play election games behind the backs of ethnic minorities in this exceptional humanitarian situation.”
Unacceptable behavior by IS jihadist militia
Equally unacceptable is the behavior of the jihadist militia IS (“Islamic State”), which in this situation continues to carry out attacks in Syria and further aggravates the humanitarian and political catastrophe. “IS, however, is a terrorist organization, while the Turkish state is a member of the UN and NATO,” Bayr said. “I call on the EU to put political pressure on Erdogan so that humanitarian aid can equally benefit all people affected by the earthquake. Erdogan must no longer block international aid to people he does not see and must open border crossings to Syria for assistance open.”