Council of State rules for stay of execution on gov’t decision to keep summer hours year-round

ANKARA

The Council of State has ruled unanimously for a stay of execution of a cabinet decision regarding the keeping of summer time hours all year long.

The decision came after a parent, whose identity was not disclosed, applied to the Council of State about sending her child to school in the dark before sunrise due to the practice of permanent summertime hours, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Sept. 27.

The applicant requested a stay of execution of the cabinet decision regarding the case, but it was rejected by the 10th department of the court.

The complainant’s lawyer Bürgehan Emrağ then appealed against the decision and the Council of State lifted the department’s previous ruling, ruling for a stay of execution of the permanent summertime practice.

Before the change introduced by the government last year, Turkey had previously acted in accordance with European countries regarding the changing of clocks in summer.

The decision meant that Turkey would be three hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) in winter as well as summer and two hours ahead of continental European countries such as Germany, France Netherland, Belgium, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and Denmark in winter.

Following the order a number of problems were reported for workers and students, particularly among students who have to wake up early to go to school.