It is somewhat ironic the announcement of Turkey's election board that the referendum on the government-sponsored constitutional reform package will be held on September 12. Of all possible dates, September 12 is a highly tragic and symbolic day for Turkey as it is the day in which the bloody military coup was staged in 1980. And the Constitution that the referendum will ask people the emend is indeed the Constitution written by the generals who staged that coup.

Following President Abdullah Gül’s approval of package on Wednesday, the referendum process officially began with the publication of the decision in the Official Gazette on Thursday.

The election board's decision will be valid if the top court does not annul the reform package. The opposition party CHP (Republican People Party) has announced on Thursday that it would apply to the highest court for the annulment of the changes today at 11am