Turkey Develops Draft Law On Mining

Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20



By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:



The Turkish government is drafting new mining legislation, Sabah newspaper reported on Tuesday, May 20.



The draft will soon be submitted to the country's parliament, thouogh no details about the new legislation have emerged as of yet.



The Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Ministry and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security initiated this endeavour following the recent mining catastrophe in Manisa Province. 301 people were killed and 486 others were injured when the Soma City mine collapsed. The last time Turkey saw a mining accident of this magnitude was in 1992, in the province of Zonguldak, where 263 workers were killed.



In total, there are 740 coal mines and 48,706 miners in Turkey.



Over 3,000 people have been killed and over 100,000 were wounded since 1941 to the present day in mining accidents in Turkey.



In fact, mine accidents account for 10.4% of work-related injuries in Turkey.



Until now 25 people have been arrested with regard to the Soma mine accident. Among the detained is the Chairman of the Management Board of Soma Holding, who also owns the mine. Additionally, charges are being brought against five employees of the Soma Holding.



Soma Holding is set to pay 350 million Turkish Liras, about $167 million, to the families of the disaster casualties as compensation.