“Financial Assistance and Preparedness for Earthquakes and Other Disasters Bill” unanimously approved by the committee

The Ad-Hoc Committee on the Regulation of Legislation on Natural Disasters and Earthquakes unanimously approved the “Proposal for Financial Assistance and Preparedness for Earthquakes and Other Disasters” at its meeting today with the participation of UBP, DP and YDP members.

According to the statement made by the Parliament, the committee will meet today with UBP MP Committee Chairman Özdemir Berova chaired by the President at 10:00 a.m.

The Ad-Hoc Committee on the Regulation of Legislation on Natural Disasters and Earthquakes completed its work on the “Financial Assistance and Preparedness for Earthquakes and Other Disasters” at its meeting held with the agenda of "Financial Assistance and Preparedness for Earthquakes and Other Disasters" and unanimously approved the proposal and referred it to the agenda of the General Assembly.

Officials from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economy and Energy, the Attorney General's Office, the Turkish Cypriot Association of Realtors, the Turkish Cypriot Hoteliers Association, the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce and the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry attended the committee meeting as invitees and expressed their views on the issue and made suggestions.

During the committee meeting, the Minister of National Education Nazim Cavusoglu were also present.

GENERAL JUSTIFICATION OF THE PROPOSAL

“The general justification of the ”Financial Assistance and Preparation for Earthquake and Other Disasters Bill“ reads as follows: ”Due to the earthquake that occurred in the Republic of Turkey on February 6, 2023, this Legislative Proposal has been prepared in order to contribute to meeting the shelter needs arising in Turkey, to determine and eliminate the needs arising in our country and to establish financial resources in order to determine and eliminate the preparations within the scope of combating natural disasters that may arise in the future.".

In the light of this justification, a “Commission for Earthquake and Natural Disaster Assessment and Monitoring” was established with the proposed law and the committee emphasized that the salary deductions to be made within the scope of the proposed law will be used for the maintenance and repair of public schools and buildings, the construction of new schools if necessary, and the maintenance and repair of existing buildings in the field of health against earthquakes.

In the statement, it was stated that the committee was informed that the items included in the scope of austerity measures in the study conducted by the government were Temporary Duty Travels Abroad, Ceremonies and Hospitality, Publicity, Representation Expenses, Political Promotion Expenses, Assistance to Associations and Households and Local Projects (including Disguised Allowances).

He informed that the Ad-Hoc Committee on the Regulation of Legislation on Natural Disasters and Earthquakes aims to contribute by making the necessary arrangements in 20 items and areas in addition to the salary deductions to be made within the scope of this legislative proposal and that the resource to be created within the scope of the relevant legislative proposal will not be used for the purpose of this legislative proposal.

UBP MP Özdemir Berova committee meeting chaired by the committee members YDP MP Talip Atalay, UBP MP Ahmet Savaşan, DP MP Hasan Tosunoglu and UBP MP Emrah Yesilirmak attended.