Govt starts legal procedures to make May 1 Official holiday

The government yesterday began legal procedures to make May 1 an official holiday, in a bid to meet longtime demands of workers and trade unions. At the behest of Primer Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Labor and Social Security Minister Faruk Celik yesterday met with union representatives to hear them out on the issue. The unions welcomed the government's attempt, but also aired their requests for more rights and freedoms after the meeting. Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal expressed support for the initiative. In a statement, he encouraged the government to make not only May 1 but also Nevruz a public holiday and to open up Istanbul's Taksim Square for celebrations.