MPs have so far shown apathy in responding to invitations for participation in Joint Work Groups (OÇG) forums, which aimed at bringing them together with NGO representatives in their electoral regions.
OCGs, initiated by rights activist Sanar Yurdatapan, have been held in Adana, Ankara, Batman, Diyarbakır (2), Edirne (2), Eskişehir, Gaziantep, Hatay, İzmir (2), Kayseri, Kocaeli, Konya, Malatya, Mardin (2), Sakarya, Şanlıurfa, Trabzon and Van (2).
Only 17 out of 237 invited MPs participated in meetings designed to foster dialogue for further collaboration to solve local problems and bring them to the agenda of the parliament. On the other hand, NGOs responded well to the invitation and 317 people gathered in meetings.
The next forum will be held in İzmir on February 28. The Initiative has repeated its invitation for the occasion.(EÖ/AGÜ)