Turkey and the politics of coal
Free schoolbooks for students and free coal for heating for the poor have been the two main types of assistance the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government has provided for years to lure votes. The link between politics and coal has become the subject of heated debates since May, when 301 miners perished in an accident in a coal mine in Soma. The government is accused of ignoring safety standards in the name of boosting coal production while reducing costs. With the advent of winter, coal distribution has accelerated and problems emerged, because tighter inspections and rules in the wake of deadly mining accidents have resulted in a decrease in coal production.
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