Turkish military required for Dutch dual nationals

Citizens, who hold both the Dutch and Turkish nationality, will have to fulfill their obligatory military services in Turkey, wrote minister Hennis-Plaschaert of Defense in a letter to Parliament.

Hennis approached her Turkish counterpart on numerous occasions, both in person and in writing, to make an exception for Dutch with the Turkish nationality.

A majority of Parliament had asked the minister to make an effort to have Turkish Dutch acquitted of the Turkish military draft.

So far any attempts have been unsuccessful. The Turkish minister of Defense, Yilmaz, responded he would not be able to accommodate the minister in her request, because it would require a change in legislation.

Defense staff with both the Turkish and Dutch nationality have the option of an interest free loan for a maximum of 6,000 euros to buy out the Turkish draft. In 2011 a motion was surrendered, requesting the termination of the arrangement, but that is only possible with consent of unions for government personnel, because they are part of employment agreement terms, according to Hennis. Last year the unions announced not to agree with the termination of the loan arrangements.

Hennis is looking into addressing the subject in an international setting, since the Turkish military draft may also cause issues in other countries.