"YES" TO THE HISTORICAL OPPORTUNITY
Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis periodically writes articles to newspapers and his last article was published in Haberturk daily newspaper on July 27, 2010 and there, Bagis touched the Constitutional Amendment Package and Referendum process. In his article Bagis wrote:
"The Referendum on September, 12 is an unmissable historic opportunity for Turkey to face with and be free from the grief in the recent history and also for the future image of Turkey.
12 September 2010 will be a milestone to implement national sovereignty in real terms and to render the declaration that "Sovereignty unconditionally and unrestrictedly belongs to the nation" superior.
Referendum on September, 12 will be the last blow to the understanding that regards his/her own nation as a threat and that cannot accept his/her vote as equal with the vote of a shepherd.
On September, 12 Turkey will take a step towards a new day, as Mevlânâ said: "Now is the time to say something new". Turkish nation has never forgotten that the values and youth of this nation had been led to fall out with each other for nothing and without a reason.
Our nation has never deserved democracy's being an exception and the extraordinary conditions deemed suitable to Turkish nation.
On the other hand, the ones who think that our nation keeps its silence against the anti-democratic actions and who say that this nation has no choice other than themselves have always been defeated and become powerless in the polls.
On September 12, 2010 the ones who want to bring Turkey back to 30 years ago will again be defeated in the poll.
In fact they know the results of the referendum already and feel embarrassed because of the contradiction caused when they call people to say ‘no' in the referendum.
As they witness the calls for ‘yes' in the public, they wonder about the political consequences that will affect them.
We do not doubt that the political circles calling to say ‘no' in the referendum feel a great regret about this. We witness that the ones who have not listened their supporters are overwhelmed by this fact. Actually, even being late, they understand that there are a lot of reasons to say ‘yes' in the referendum but there is no reason to say ‘no'.
They have recently understood that each of the articles in the constitutional amendment package will be for the benefit of Turkey and the Turkish nation.
Thus, parts that will eliminate the traces of the constitution resulting from the military coup, and get rid of its core and spirit totally are included in this package. Articles that will find solutions to the problems of Agri, Edirne, Erzurum, Diyarbakir, Bitlis, Burdur and thus, 81 provinces of Turkey are covered in the constitutional amendment package. Articles to solve the problems of our 72.5 million citizens and enable them to look confidently to the future are also included in this package. Articles that will enable Turkey to be among the 10 greatest economies of the world, reach its export objective of 500 billion dollars and accelerate its accession process to the EU are included in the content of this package to be voted in the referendum.
Likewise, the core of this package is based on the vision to strengthen Turkey's stability and to improve democratic standards in Turkey more.
Therefore, it is beneficial to say ‘yes'. Therefore, we have a lot of reasons to say ‘yes'. And thus, we will say ‘yes' self confidently and with inner peace.
We will say ‘yes' to democracy on September, 12… We will say ‘yes' to the will of change and development… We will say ‘yes' to development, a just legal order, elimination of inequalities, and more rights for our workers and officials… We will again say ‘yes' to enable Turkey to reach the EU standards. We will say ‘yes' in our full unity to strengthen our national solidarity and brotherhood.
Yes… A ‘yes' will change many things, open new horizons and bring various perspectives to Turkey. Our nation has never said ‘no' to something that will be for the benefit of Turkey."
Source: AA
