MPs from Turkey’s ruling AK Party have submitted a motion to investigate the Soma coal mine tragedy which occurred in the west of the country on Tuesday.
18 men remain underground at the Soma mine in which at least 284 people were killed, Turkey's Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said on Friday.
MP Ali Riza Alaboyun and 38 other deputies tabled the motion on Friday. Alaboyun, who also heads the Turkish Parliament's NATO Committee, stressed that the mine was inspected in March within the scope of new work safety legislation and nothing was found contrary to these regulations.
Alaboyun said the tragedy occurred despite the inspection report and added that the mine had the latest production techniques.
"The tragedy must be investigated in detail and be clarified within the scope of the Turkish Parliament; for this reason, we demand the setting up of an investigation committee within parliament," Alaboyun said in his motion.
Meanwhile, the People's Democratic Party also submitted a motion of investigation in parliament as well as Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party on Thursday.
The country’s top judicial body has appointed 28 prosecutors to coordinate investigations into the disaster.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
