Turkish Red Crescent Law Proposal Passes in Parliament

The Turkish parliament approved a draft law to grant the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) broad exemptions and new powers in disaster response. The bill allows the organisation to acquire first‑aid, logistics and temporary‑shelter products produced by its subsidiaries without applying the Public Procurement Law, and places procurement decisions under the Kızılay General Board. It also stipulates that payments for blood components supplied to public hospitals will be transferred directly from the Social Security Institution (SGK) to Kızılay, reducing bureaucratic steps.

The proposal introduces cash compensation for Kızılay personnel serving in emergencies, war zones or conflict areas, and grants branch heads membership on the Social Aid and Solidarity Foundation (SYDV) board. It protects the Kızılay name, emblem and flag from commercial use, and provides protocols for limited access to personal data from the Ministry of Family and Social Services under data‑protection law. Customs duties on medical equipment and test kits imported by Kızılay for humanitarian purposes are waived, and the organisation receives exemptions from certain fees.

During parliamentary committee hearings, opposition lawmakers cited allegations that Kızılay sold tents after the February 2023 earthquakes and called for audit by the Supreme Audit Institution (Sayıştay). While some MPs urged stricter oversight, others argued existing state audit mechanisms are sufficient. The law is set to be signed by the president after parliamentary approval.