Etiket amendments

News, etc. Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan closeted with his ministers and legal experts for four hours putting the final touches to constitutional amendments which he said will be negotiated with all the political parties in Turkey. According to AKP sources quoted by the Turkish newspapers the package of amendments will introduce 12 changes regarding the structure of judicial organs and citizens rights. One of the most important features of the package is related to the structure of the Constitutional Court which has been one of the main headaches of Erdogan since his party came to power in 2002. The number of judges at the Constitutional Court will be increased and part of them will be elected by the National Assembly, according to the amendments. Presently, Turkey’s Constitutional Court has 11 judges, all appointed by the President who selects one of the three candidates nominated by the nation’s top judiciary organs like the Supreme Court. The amendments will also grant ordinary citizens to file applications with the Constitutional Court, a right reserved until now to the main opposition party, lower courts or 110 parliament members jointly filing a petition. Closing down of political parties on grounds that their actions have violated the constitution will be adjusted to the norms of Declaration of Venice, according to the draft. The Constitutional Court will not be able to close down political parties unless it is proven that the party is responsible for acts of violence or terror. Another change concerns the structure of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) which became the centerpiece of controversy between the government and the opposition recently. Prime Minister Erdogan and his ministers have voiced several times their displeasure with the decisions of HSYK which functions as the supervising body of Turkey’s judiciary, dealing with appointments, promotions […]