Naturalization and restrictions.. Turkish elections results worry Syrians.

Following the results of the municipal elections, questions raised in the minds of Syrian refugees in Turkey, as  Justice and Development party lost several states , in which they include a large numbers of Syrian refugees. 

North Press met Syrian refugees to talk about their views and attitudes towards the recent elections and its reflection on their presence in Turkey.

Ahmed Abu Saleh, 40, who owns a clothing store in Gaziantep, told North Press: “I was wondering about the fate of my presence in Turkey, whether  we will be expelled, if the candidates, who declared their rejection of the Syrian presence, won.”

Abu Saleh gave voice to his fear of the results of the Turkish elections: “Will our work be restricted through the imposition of new licenses up to the limit of preventing us to do our job?”

There have been several statements by candidates for municipal elections in Turkey, condemning the existence of the Syrians and the spread of their shops in Turkey.

A day after taking office, the Turkish mayor of the Bolo state of the Republican People’s Party, Tango Ozjan, issued an official book that the municipality “will not pay them a penny” to Syrian refugees living in the state.

There are 200 billion Turkish lira that goes from the Turkish budget to the Syrian refugees. According to Tango Okan.

Mustafa Nabhan, a 43-year-old, food seller in Gaziantep, says: “My work requires moving between the southern states of Turkey, forced me to get residency permit.”

“Three months have passed since I have got my residence permit, and there are serious concerns about imposing new conditions, especially, with the recent issuance, by the Immigration Services, of banning travel permits, except in cases of extreme necessity.”

Days ago, Syrian activists in Turkey circulated pictures of the Immigration Services on the decision to stop issuing travel permits without specifying a timetable for the decision, which burdens Syrians, whose work requires moving between the Turkish states.

The Syrian refugee, Shaher Al-Omar (33, who lives in Gaziantep), who entered Turkey with his family and does not have the identity of the refugees, fears issuing a new decision to stop the identification of refugees after the elections, especially that he can no longer return to Syria , Due to the poor security situation in his town in Aleppo countryside.

The number of Syrian refugees with exceptional Turkish nationality is about 79820, according to the Turkish Interior Minister Sulaiman Soweilo. Thousands are still waiting.

“Will the program stop and our names be canceled, or even new conditions will be added, until the withdrawal of nationality from the newly naturalized?” Asks Syrian engineer Ahmad Jamal, 36, who recently has acquired nationality, and heard about his friends concerns , whose names are on the list of naturalization system.

The Syrian engineer ruled out the withdrawal of nationality, “because it is difficult legally and practically,” and is activated only in very special circumstances; such as treason and terrorist operations. “

According to Syrians , who are aware of the Turkish public affairs, the municipalities ,In the short term, cannot have a significant impact on the Syrian refugees issue. This is mainly related to the policy of the government and the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose presidency extends until June 2023.

Therefore, everything related to the granting of residency, asylum and moving between governorates, naturalization, security, etc., municipalities have no authority over to change them. However, the refugees are likely to be affected by the loss of the (Justice and Development Party /AKP/), in the local elections that ran on 31 March of Ankara and Istanbul  municipalities, for Republican people’s opposition party, according to observers.