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Turkish workers face perilous conditions

Turkey's workplace is the most dangerous in Europe, and critics blame the Justice and Development Party's brand of crony capitalism.

Workers shout slogans during a protest in front of an residential project, where an accident occurred in Istanbul September 8, 2014. Turkish real-estate developer Torunlar REIT said on Monday it has halted construction activities at all of its projects for five days following an accident that killed 10 workers at an Istanbul residential project. Work on the residential project, where the accident occurred at the weekend, has been suspended indefinitely and a legal investigation has been launched there, acco
Workers shout slogans during a protest in front of a residential project, where an accident occurred in Istanbul, Sept. 8, 2014. — REUTERS/Osman Orsal

Any visitor to Istanbul will be struck by how the skyline of the city is being littered with expensive and imposingly gaudy skyscrapers that are out of character with the city. These buildings and similar developments around the country are nevertheless seen as important indicators of Turkey’s impressive economic growth.

Needless to say, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government claims credit for most of this growth, having come to power in 2002 immediately after one of Turkey’s worst economic crises. Turkey’s impressive economic recovery after the 2001 crisis, however, has its dark side.

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