LAW AND DEMOCRACY PLATFORM AWARD CEREMONY

Minister for EU Affairs and the Chief Negotiator Bagis, who is awarded as the "Politician of the Year" by Law and Democracy Platform, received his award by the ceremony held in Ankara Surmeli Hotel.

In his speech he delivered at the ceremony, he said: "From now on, I believe it is time to give clear answers to the claims that Turkey is not ready for democracy" and added that Turkey had been struggling to be a member of the EU since 1959.

Stating that there wasn't a single country which had been a member of the EU through the Constitutions made after the military coups, Bagis said that, with the current Constitution, Turkey could not be a member of the EU.

Stating that nowhere in Europe there was a mentality of the opposing parties which try to hold in pledge with their whims the ruling party, Bagis said: "We are ready for all kinds of consensus."

Underlining the fact that what Turkey needed were democracy and law, Bagis stated that they were ready to assimilate democracy and law in a way that would embrace all citizens.

Bagis said that the sharp lines among legislation, execution and jurisdiction should be separated.

In the ceremony, State Minister Faruk Celik and the deceased Muhsin Yazicioglu were also awarded as the "Politician of the Year".

Source: AA