Parliament passes proposal to send Turkish police to Qatar for World Cup

ANKARA

A proposal to send a police force, including riot police, to Qatar for ensuring security in the 2022 FIFA Football World Cup was accepted by the votes of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on late Nov. 12.

The entire discussion on the “Proposal of Law Regarding the Approval of the Letter of Intent on Cooperation between Turkey and Qatar in the Fulfillment of Large-scale Organizations” was completed at the general assembly of the parliament.

The vote became a scene of tension as the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the İYİ (Good) Party criticized the proposal.

“The intention in this proposal is that Turkish police will undertake the gendarmerie to the World Cup in Qatar. We ask at the commission, ‘Is there any example of such cooperation before, did our police go to another place and protect an organization?’ No, this is the first,” CHP lawmaker Utku Çakırözer said.