New regulation for renting houses

Security units are warning us that with the last airport attack, we are now face to face with a new type of an action. The fact that the attackers were of Chechen and Dagestani origin is not unique to this incident. The cell discovered in Istanbul’s Beylikdüzü district on June 18 was also the Chechen branch of Daesh. There have been intelligence reports that after the “Dokumacılar Group” was discovered and after cell member Yusuf Durmaz blew himself up in Gaziantep, Daesh directed its Transcaucasus units to Turkey.  

Daesh has made serious inroads among Chechens and Uighurs. There is an unquestionably huge love for Turkey among them, many have also joined Daesh. Because of our connection with them, those coming from these regions to our country have been tolerated. This issue is growing. 

For this reason, there is a need to implement a new policy about foreigners. Those with criminal records are being deported, and some 4,000 people have been sent back. Also, 49,000 people from 100 countries are banned from entering Turkey. But there are gray areas. Daesh is an international organization. For this reason, it can find legal loopholes and provide lawyers for its members. The return centers of the immigration authorities can only accommodate a limited number of people. In the new phase, the loopholes in the regulation on returns should be eliminated, and the capacity of return centers will be increased. A joint study will be conducted with security units and the immigration authority to toughen the regulation about foreigners. 

Also, the Interior Ministry is working on a new security concept regarding cities. Since July 20, 2015, Ankara has suffered three terror attacks and Istanbul four. The attack at the Atatürk Airport demonstrated the security gap in cities. According to security units, real estate agents and the daily renting of apartments pose a serious issue. Realtors lease houses, terror organizations pay the annual rent – often at higher prices. Then the realtors or the owners do not register the deal. The headman of the neighborhood where the airport attackers rented an apartment said they had about 2,500 unregistered apartments in the area. You do the math. 

After it was determined that PKK and Daesh were using rental cars in their attacks, a new regulation was introduced about car rentals. As soon as a car is rented, security forces are informed. The measures have been effective. Now, a similar regulation is in the works on house rentals. After the new regulation, when real estate agencies rent a house, they will immediately notify security units. A system where the realtor, headman, owner of the house and local police work in coordination is being developed. Apartments rented by the day are also being looked into. 

The registration system practiced on plane tickets and hotels have been introduced for car rentals. Now, a similar system will be introduced for house rentals and intercity bus companies. Within the scope of the investigation of the Atatürk Airport attack, several bus firms were asked for their ticket documents. For instance, 10 tickets were prepared on the same bus under the name “Muhammed,” but this Muhammed did not have a last name. With a new regulation, each ticket will be prepared for each passenger under his or her real identity.