The Maraş proposal is among the most talked-about topics of recent days… Everyone has something to say. Something like this happened once before, and I focused on the issue. I tried to understand it, but couldn’t. I still can’t. One side says, “Maraş should be returned to its former owners,” and tells a story that reaches back to the Ottoman Empire and the foundations. Another side, however, says it recognizes the international rights holders. Some even blame the British, saying, “The British sold the foundation properties.” When the issue of Maraş comes up this way, the Turkish side says, “Maraş is part of a comprehensive settlement.” How can a solution be reached when it isn’t even clear who owns it? So what is the truth? Who does Maraş belong to? I understand that it is under our control, but why can’t we use a place under our control as we wish?
There is no doubt that almost everyone reading these lines has an answer on the subject. And that is precisely the problem… Which answer is right?
In comments on the issue, people say that Maraş was left in this state so that we would have leverage in negotiations. But there is still no satisfactory answer about why it was left in this condition, or what this negotiating leverage has achieved so far!
Based on what I know, my view is that we should open Maraş and return it to the former rights holders (whoever they are?) under our control. We should collect our taxes and carry out our inspections. Although, we can’t do the latter in our own country, perhaps we could do it there.
I don’t understand gasoline prices!
Gasoline prices in Turkey are being cut for the second time in the past 10 days. Here, though, prices went up just the other day (the day the government was formed). Why are prices going up here when gasoline is getting cheaper there? I just can’t understand it.
I don’t understand vehicle road tax fees and inspection dates!
As is well known, vehicles are taxed according to their weight—that is, how much they weigh. Whenever taxes are needed in this country, vehicles are the first thing that comes to mind. As you know, when there is so much of it, the Finance Ministry also goes after the most widely consumed products. Anyway, if taxes are going to be based on information about our vehicles, I don’t understand why they’re based on weight! I don’t know whether this decision was made by taking into account the pressure vehicles exert on the Earth. But what makes sense is to tax vehicles according to how far they travel in the country. For example, if you paid tax for your vehicle at 50,000 km and drove 10,000 km by the following year, the tax should be based on that. In other words, the state should charge those who use its roads and pollute the air. If you insist on charging a fee, at least don’t base it on weight.
By the way, if any of you have never missed a vehicle inspection date, I’d like to congratulate you. They arrange the schedule in such a way that, if I were a suspicious person, I’d say, “They’re doing it on purpose.” It’s almost impossible to keep track of those dates. The strange thing is that if you miss the date, you’re fined, and if I’m not mistaken, you even have to pay double. As I said, if I were a suspicious person, I’d say they’re doing it on purpose. I’m not saying that… But I don’t understand why they set the dates this way…
There are many more things I don’t understand, but we’re short on space. Until next time, when we discuss some other things I don’t understand…