IT IS TIME TO HAVE A JUDICIARY IN EU STANDARDS

Answering the questions of the deputies at the General Board of TGNA, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis stated that they were ready to make cooperation in order for Turkey to attain a judiciary in EU standards and in universal standards.

Egemen Bagis said the following:

"We are ready to make cooperation with you in order to attain a judiciary that nobody has any doubts regarding its independence and objectivity. We are ready to cooperate in order for Turkey to attain a judiciary in EU standards as well as in universal standards. We do not have an intention to restrict the powers of the judiciary. On the contrary, we think that we have to work together in order to attain a judiciary on which all of our citizens can rely and which is not discussed if it is in between the wallet and conscience.

Stating that he was proud to be a member of the ruling party which, for the first time throughout the history of Turkish Republic, has been able to put some information about Alevism in the text books, Bagis said: "I am proud of being in the political party of a Prime Minister who, for the first time throughout the history of Turkish Republic, shares the same food and the same sorrow with the Alevi citizens in the Muharram. I am proud of voting for a President who, for the first time since Atatürk, visited a Djemevi. I blame the ones who, for many years, exploited the Alevi citizens and who, by making use of the Alevi citizens, exploit the ruling party which try to support them.

Noting that the Turkish citizens living abroad approached positively to having the right to vote, Bagis said: "In order to realize this within the framework of those countries' domestic rules, an amendment in our own constitution is needed to be made. It is clear that Turkey needs a Constitutional amendment. We are ready to work with you on that issue as well."

Answering the questions related to the Draft Law Amending the Law on Holding a Referendum on Constitutional Amendments, Bagis pointed out that a large portion of Turkish citizens living abroad were located in Germany and stated that the German Authorities proposed for the Turkish citizens living in Germany to vote by means of a letter and added that, that was contrary to the current Constitution of Turkey.

Stating that their greatest yearning was to provide for the Turkish citizens living abroad to have the right to vote; Bagis said: "By amending the Constitution through working together, we should provide voting by means of letters."

Egemen Bagis said: "We sincerely believe that it is time for Turkey to have an objective and independent judiciary." Pointing out that the arrangements related to a judiciary on which all the citizens could rely in peace could be made through working together with the opposing parties, Bagis said that they were open to all opinions and views.

Indicating that there were discussions and dissenting views about the Constitution in Turkey and that they desired to take steps to bring an end to these and bring peace to all the citizens, Bagis said, "If there are any steps which disturb you, we are ready to discuss them too. There are also issues about which 18 million citizens who have voted for us and whom we are honoured to represent are sensitive. We firmly believe that it is time for this country to have an impartial and independent judiciary. We are ready to cooperate with you on that issue."

Noting that the most respected academicians of Turkey had prepared a Constitutional draft for them, Bagis said:

"Those who perceive the democratic environment to be brought to the country by this draft as a threat to them have launched a campaign against it. In 2007 Turkey had to go through 4 separate elections and in 2008 you witnessed how the closure case which was lodged against the ruling party which had won the support of half of the voters and the same case which blocked the country for months brought the Constitutional amendment work to a standstill. Now that there were sensitivities about this issue, we thought that it would be appropriate to amend the relevant articles in the Constitution one by one with the support of the opposition. Currently there is the ombudsman issue with which we are frequently faced in the EU negotiation process. We wanted to take a step in that direction but we were again hindered by the Constitution. We would like to cooperate with you on that issue. But, if you shut the door right from the word go; we have no choice but to complain to the nation about it."

Bagis stated that citizens who cast their votes at customs gates had no chance to indicate a preference as to which particular electoral district they wanted to cast their ballots. Noting that they could consider it if an arrangement allowing the citizens living abroad to indicate their preferences was made through introducing amendments to the Electoral Law, Bagis said, "My personal opinion is that it is possible but it requires some technical effort. There is a proposal for Turkey deputyship in our party programme. We have to discuss it together and take the necessary decisions."

After the speeches, 2nd Article regulating the validity of the proposal was approved.

Source: AA