Reporting by Orawa al-Sousi; Translation by Yusra Ahmed
(EQTSAD)- Dozens of problems face Syrians living in Turkey, classified under 6 files by the "Turkish-Syrian Friendship Association" to discuss them with Turkish officials at high levels, including the Minister of Syrian Refugees’ Affair in Turkey, Mortaza Ette, and other Ministers concerned in the matter like the Minister of Social Affairs and the Minister of Development.
To know about the problems and the main suggestions and proposals of the Association and the response of Turkish officials, Eqtsad met Dr. Mohammed al-Hallaq, Head of the Syrian Friendship association, who summarised Syrians’ problems in six categories as follow.
The official documents was the first and most important file, Officials of the Turkish-Syrian Friendship Association highlighted most problems Syrians face related to this file.
One of them the need for an exit and entry stamp as a condition for Syrians who have tourist visa after exceeding 90 days and cannot apply for a residency because of high cost, and that contradicts with the rules of entry visa conditions recently launched.
Another problem of official documents Dr, Hallaq mentioned was in regard to Temporary Protection Cards, as the Turkish Authority is still issuing card under number 98, not replace by 99. Moreover, these cards are restricted to Syrians who entered Turkey via Syrian-Turkish borders, and not available for Syrians who entered the country through airports.
Another problem in regard those cards that they are not acceptable in banks for opening bank account and other governmental institution.
The other problem Dr. Hallaq discussed was the situation of Syrians who have expired passports, beside the need for travel permission if Syrians want to travel between cities and counties within Turkey.
in regard to health and medical difficulties Syrians face in Turkey, Dr. Hallaq highlighted that medical prescription for refugees holding temporary protection cards are not accepted by many pharmacies, as well as chaos and lack of organisation of almost 100 clinic and association in Turkey, and many suggestion were put to sort them out.
The Academic problems was the third file discussed by the Association according to Dr. Hallaq. He highlighted steps for validating and equalizing the Academic certificates of Syrians, and mentioned effort to get the Turkish government to support the first conference for Syrian Physicians, Dentists and Pharmacists.
in regard to work permit, the fourth problem scheduled in discussion with Turkish officials, as members of Syrian Friendship Association requested the Turkish officials to implement the latest decision that allow Syrians who have the Temporary Protection Cards to obtain work permits and work on obstacles preventing from implementing the decision for some Syrians.
The right of Syrians to possess houses and register them in their names which is not allowed for individuals and only restricted to companies was discussed as well.
In regard to problems related to cars and transportation, changing the registration of Syrian cars into Turkish plates numbers was one of the difficulties Syrians face, as only the holders of foreigners’ temporary Identity Card are eligible to do so, while other residents like temporary tourists and holders of work permits are not allowed to do so.
Therefore, it was suggested to accept the original Syrian car registration and transform it into Turkish registration regardless of the passport. Some Syrians who have Turkish nationalities were not able to register their Syrian-registered cars as well. A request to cancel the custom’s permit for cars operate on gas was done.
Other matter were discussed like: the possibility of buying and selling Syrian cars with Turkish registration and registering more than one car for a person, and what would happened to some cars which were stripped of the Turkish numbers, and exemption of Syrians from vehicle tax paid every 6 months and accepting expired driving license.
Dr Hallaq mentioned that all issues related to vehicles and transportation were forwarded to the Transportation Ministry to find solution to them.
The last issue discussed with Turkish Authority was teaching Syrian kids, as there are about half a million child in Turkey without teaching, and other children who were born in Turkey at rough rate of 25 birth a day, making almost 250 thousand child over 4 years are without nationality.
About the response of Turkish Authority on requests of Syrians Friendship Association, Dr, Hallaq detailed that an immediate decision was taken to allow Syrians to get married in Turkish registration offices without need for a civil record, and was replaced by a document from the immigration agency.
Moreover, a decision to exempt Syrian Doctors graduated from Turkish University from the need for a criminal clearance certificate.
Dr. Hallaq mentioned that promises were made in regard to opening clinics with Syrians staff at rate of one for each 5000 Syrians, and then a plan to open a hospital in each city with high population of Syrians. Moreover, promises to open training vocational institutions, equalising academic certificates of Syrians, exempt Syrians from the foreigners’ work law which prevent Syrians from working in Law and dentistry. The matters related to vehicles and transportation were among thing to be reviewed.
The Turkish-Syrian Friendship Association was established in 2009 before the revolution to look after Syrians’ affairs in Turkey, and carried on its work and effort to sort out Syrians problems in Turkey after the revolution and the war the Syrian regime open on its people which resulted in displacing millions, of them 2.620.553 are in Turkey.
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