ANKARA - The protest of Confederation of Public Workers Trade Unions (KESK) members, which was held for improvement of economic and social rights of public workers, ended on Saturday after the press statement issued in front of National Lottery building on Gazi Mustafa Kemal Boulevard.
KESK member civil servants, who had come to Ankara with the slogans of ''Democratic Turkey for Decent Life'', were kept waiting in four places at the entrance of the city. After three hours of waiting, civil servants met with other civil servants at Ankara Station.
Members of KESK, who expressed their demands with various slogans regarding their economic and social rights, came to Sihhiye Square via Talat Pasa and Ataturk Boulevard.
Civil servants started a sit-in protest at Sihhiye Square when they were not allowed to proceed from Ataturk Boulevard to Kizilay Square. Then they started marching after the sit-in protest which lasted 2,5 hours.
KESK members shouted slogans in front of National Lottery building.
KESK Director General Sami Evren released a speech and said that they convened at Kizilay to express that they would claim their rights. Noting that after their efforts of 12 years, they succeeded in starting collective bargainings with the government, Evren expressed the demands which they had told to the government during the bargainings.
Evren said that they asked for guarantee regarding their right to go on strike and hold collective bargaining, adding that ''politics is dirty in this country. Public employees should take part in politics to have clean politics.''
''The eyes of 15 million people are on the table of collective bargaining. Mr. Prime Minister distorts the reason of withdrawing from the table. The political favouritism of the government is obvious and they try to impose the political Islam as a way of life on the society. If the government changes its attitude and views, I invite them to collective bargaining table again,'' Evren claimed.
Evren stated that KESK was against sending soldiers to Iraq, calling on the police to release the eight KESK members who were detained the same day.
After the speech of Evren, civil servants who attended the public statement, dispersed.
Leftist parties ODP, IP, TKP, EMEP, SDP, DEHAP, some associations and non-governmental organizations supported KESK's activity.
A total of 4,500 policemen were charged around Kýzýlay due to the demonstration of KESK.
Meanwhile the eight persons who were detained for attacking the police by throwing stones on them would be transferred to prosecutor's office.
Gazi Mustafa Kemal Boulevard which was closed to traffic for nearly 12 hours was opened after the public statement of KESK was released.
(GC-ÖÞ) 24.08.2003