THE DEMOCRATIZATION PACKAGE IS A CRITICAL THRESHOLD

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis, when evaluating the democratization package announced by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said “ Turkey has undergone a democratic revolution today. This is a critical threshold for politics without shackles and democracy without restrictions. Today is a genuine celebration of democracy and freedom for Turkey.”

During his statement to the members of press in Ankara, Bağış also said the following regarding the package:

“Democratic steps are felt much more strongly in today’s Turkey where chronic past problems are at once resolved and what was once impossible is one by one realized. We had said that the third term of the AK Party would be its mastership term in power. We observe one more result of this expertise with the democratization package.”

Our Prime Minister had said “there would articles that would surprise everyone” in the package. We believe that this is a package that interests everyone, regardless of their political stance, who have followed the statements today and that all of them can relate to. Turkey’s most comprehensive reform package to date has also been the best response to those who accuse AK Party of losing its reformist identity. Turkey is speedily advancing towards democracy.  However, what has been achieved is certainly not the final point of the process.

Turkey has today has welcomed a better future with reforms on a number of areas, ranging from village names to headscarf in public service, the national election threshold to education in different languages. We witness a democratic package which addresses all of the long-standing macro and micro-level problems of Turkey.  This day will be remembered Turkey and her 76 million citizens advance towards an unhindered democracy that is free of problems and unrestricted by burdens and thresholds.

We would also like to announce to the opposition party that, with the introduction of co-chairmanship, the CHP will be able to lay aside its internal reckonings by being able to have two chairmen of opposing views simultaneously. Today, Turkey has taken a very significant step towards EU membership.  This package is the best response to those who claim that Turkey has turned away from the EU and has put democracy aside.

The influence of EU acquis on all of the articles can be clearly seen through an analysis of each of articles in the democratization package, which demonstrates Turkey’s steadfast commitment to the EU accession process. We fully believe that we will see this reflected to the Progress Report. Turkey is undergoing a reformist, innovative and revolutionary process that has been sustained in Turkey’s efforts for advanced democracy. We hope that the democratization package will be of the highest benefit for our country, nation and our EU process.”

Source: Akşam Online