CHP MP Asks the Fine Imposed by TurkStat on Woman Who Cannot Speak Turkish

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Conducting surveys in the field through its poll takers, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) Siirt Regional Directorate directed questions to Tenzire Çetin in Batman as part of its "Household Budget Survey" in 2015.

Knowing neither Turkish, nor how to read and write, Çetin stated that she did not want to answer the questions.

Four years after this incident, a fine receipt has been sent to the house of Çetin, informing her that she has been sentenced to pay an administrative fine of 55 thousand Turkish Lira (TRY) for her failure to participate in the budget survey conducted by the TurkStat Siirt Regional Directorate.

Accordingly, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Mersin MP Ali Mahir Başarır has brought the issue into Parliamentary agenda.

Parliamentary question to Minister Albayrak

Submitting a Parliamentary question to be responded by Minister of Treasury and Finance Berat Albayrak, Başarır has asked a series of questions including the following:

• How many people were given administrative fines as in the case of Tenzire Çetin? What is their distribution by years and provinces?
• On what grounds was Tenzire Çetin, who does not know Turkish and, naturally, could not answer the questions because she could not understand them, given a fine?
• Has any legal action been taken against the TurkStat officials, who insistently demanded Çetin answer the survey questions though she does not know Turkish? If not, are you thinking of taking any?

What does the Law on TurkStat say?

As per the Article no. 54 of the Law no. 5429 on Turkish Statistical Institute dated November 11, 2005, an administrative fine shall be imposed on the ones who refuse to answer the survey questions without any excuses.

In case the person who did not answer the questions in the specified way and time or did not answer them at all without any excuses does not give the required information in 7 days, a judicial fine can be imposed. (HA/SD)