Turkey breaking new ground for elderly and disabled people: PM

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. AA Photo

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said the government’s new measures on free public services and employment quotas for disadvantaged parts of society amount to a “first in the world.”

“I announced new steps yesterday for disabled people to be assigned in every public service. We are glad to put into practice these as a first in the world. The number of disabled brothers and sisters who will be appointed by the Ministry of Education will also be increased,” Erdoğan told reporters while leaving his ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Central Executive Committee meeting.

The prime minister said an obligatory 3 percent quota would be introduced to public institutions to hire disabled people, adding that around 30 disabled people had already visited his office to extend their gratitude after the new measures.

A series of new measures were announced on Feb. 12 related to the transportation of the families of deceased soldiers, veterans and for elderly people, as well as the increased employment of disabled people by state institutions and the increased employment of disabled people as teachers. In cases of seriously disabled citizens, a companion will also be able to use the same free services, according to the new measures.

“Our elderly citizens had expectations, and we are so happy to realize them,” Erdoğan said.

Recalling that 27,224 disabled people were currently working in public institutions at the moment, Erdoğan said yesterday that 8,115 more would be employed in 2013.