ANKARA
Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party has brought a censure motion against two ministers over the 13 May Soma coal mine disaster in western Turkey in which 301 miners died.
Energy Minister Taner Yildiz and Labor and Social Security Minister Faruk Celik were cited in the motion submitted to the parliament speakers office on Tuesday by the deputy chiefs of the parliamentary group of the party, Akif Hamzacebi and Engin Altay.
The Rebublican People's Party claim the ministers failed to take due precautions, had not provided necessary inspections and failed to exercise control over the mine in the province of Manisa.
The Soma tragedy was the worst mining disaster in Turkey’s history with officially announced victim number of 301, surpassing a firedamp explosion in 1992 in which 263 miners died in Zonguldak.
A total of 485 miners were rescued from the mine, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz has said.
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