AKP sets 15 July deadline for CHP to take oath
AKP sets 15 July deadline for CHP to take oath
The ruling Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) parliamentary group deputy chairman, Mustafa Elitaþ, has warned that deputies from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) may lose their mandate if they fail to take their parliamentary oaths by July 15.
Stepping up the controversy over the boycotting of parliament, the AKP then resorted to open threats.
Elitaþ said “it would be too late for them [the CHP deputies] to take their oaths after July 15.”
To proved the rightness of the warning, Elitaþ said that parliamentary bylaws states that if a deputy does not attend five sessions of Parliament within a month, then he or she may lose their seat in Parliament. And this measure will come into effect if approved by a simple majority in Parliament.
If the CHP deputies' lose their seats in Parliament, more than 5 percent of parliamentary seats will be empty and by-elections will then be necessary. Which is the reason why the AKP has been cautious with his threatening.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan had told boycotting deputies of the possibility of a penalty if the deputies continue to boycott Parliament or refuse to take their oaths.
CHP leader Kemal Kýlýçdaroðlu answered the threat by saying they “will not yield to threats and blackmail.”
The CHP stated in a press conference in Parliament on Tuesday that they would go ahead with their “justifiable and legal” stance. The CHP leader said: “First of all, the nation's will is under arrest. The CHP has adopted this stance since it cannot swallow this shame to democracy. There is no legal obstacle before the jailed deputies being released. Secondly, the CHP, which is the party which introduced the multi-party system to Turkey, opposes the violation of the principle of separation of powers. Thirdly, the CHP has a strong belief in the principle of separation of powers. We oppose any tutelage over the judiciary and judicial tutelage [over politics]. They are asking us if they should call the judges to request the jailed deputies' release. No, we could never demand that.”
The CHP leader concluded by saying that “A party which cannot protect a citizen's vote cannot protect democracy, the rule of law and fundamental human rights,” he explained.
Two CHP deputies are currently in jail, Mustafa Balbay and Mehmet Haberal. They are on trial on charges of having links with Ergenekon, the clandestine criminal network charged with plotting to overthrow the government.
Different is the position of the BDP. The Peace and Democracy Party is boycotting Parliament in protest of the Supreme Election Board's (YSK) decision regarding Hatip Dicle, and five other of its jailed deputies. Contrary to the CHP, the BDP did not attend the opening session of the parliament.
The YSK stripped Dicle of his mandate over a prior terrorism-related conviction after the June 12 vote. A total of 36 independent deputies supported by the pro-Kurdish BDP were elected in the June 12 elections. Six of the BDP-sponsored deputies (included Dicle) are currently under arrest as part of the so called Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) trial.
Stepping up the controversy over the boycotting of parliament, the AKP then resorted to open threats.
Elitaþ said “it would be too late for them [the CHP deputies] to take their oaths after July 15.”
To proved the rightness of the warning, Elitaþ said that parliamentary bylaws states that if a deputy does not attend five sessions of Parliament within a month, then he or she may lose their seat in Parliament. And this measure will come into effect if approved by a simple majority in Parliament.
If the CHP deputies' lose their seats in Parliament, more than 5 percent of parliamentary seats will be empty and by-elections will then be necessary. Which is the reason why the AKP has been cautious with his threatening.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan had told boycotting deputies of the possibility of a penalty if the deputies continue to boycott Parliament or refuse to take their oaths.
CHP leader Kemal Kýlýçdaroðlu answered the threat by saying they “will not yield to threats and blackmail.”
The CHP stated in a press conference in Parliament on Tuesday that they would go ahead with their “justifiable and legal” stance. The CHP leader said: “First of all, the nation's will is under arrest. The CHP has adopted this stance since it cannot swallow this shame to democracy. There is no legal obstacle before the jailed deputies being released. Secondly, the CHP, which is the party which introduced the multi-party system to Turkey, opposes the violation of the principle of separation of powers. Thirdly, the CHP has a strong belief in the principle of separation of powers. We oppose any tutelage over the judiciary and judicial tutelage [over politics]. They are asking us if they should call the judges to request the jailed deputies' release. No, we could never demand that.”
The CHP leader concluded by saying that “A party which cannot protect a citizen's vote cannot protect democracy, the rule of law and fundamental human rights,” he explained.
Two CHP deputies are currently in jail, Mustafa Balbay and Mehmet Haberal. They are on trial on charges of having links with Ergenekon, the clandestine criminal network charged with plotting to overthrow the government.
Different is the position of the BDP. The Peace and Democracy Party is boycotting Parliament in protest of the Supreme Election Board's (YSK) decision regarding Hatip Dicle, and five other of its jailed deputies. Contrary to the CHP, the BDP did not attend the opening session of the parliament.
The YSK stripped Dicle of his mandate over a prior terrorism-related conviction after the June 12 vote. A total of 36 independent deputies supported by the pro-Kurdish BDP were elected in the June 12 elections. Six of the BDP-sponsored deputies (included Dicle) are currently under arrest as part of the so called Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) trial.
