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Source: Today's Zaman (Ankara)
As a postlude to Wednesday's Parliamentary vote on a bill restoring May 1st as an official public holiday, it was announced that Parliament had rejected the bill that would have established Nevruz, the Kurdish new year celebration on March 21, as an official public holiday.
The Nevruz bill, introduced by CHP and DTP parliamentarians (04-Mar-2009), was voted on at the same session as a bill restoring May 1st as an official public holiday was voted on, and approved (23-Apr-2009).
Though the addition of both of these public holidays have often been tabled in Parliament at the same time in the past, the future passing of a bill making Novruz an official public holiday in Turkey seems doubtful. Apart from the usual ethnic and religious reasons for the lack of overall support for a Nevruz public holiday, this vote was a serious disavowal as it is reported that 75 Kurdish deputies actually voted against the motion.
Related links:
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Turkey 2012 bank holidays and public holidays (current year)
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Turkey 2013 bank holidays and public holidays (next year)
• Turkey bank holidays and public holidays (news and updates)
• Worldwide
bank holidays and public holidays news updates (April 2009)
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Turkey's Parliament Rejects Novruz Public Holiday Bill