NTV MSNBC, Turkey
Feb 19 2008

Turkish opposition leader slams government for weakening country

Serious problems were developing in the economy, with unemployment on
the rise and growth slowing, Baykal said.

Güncelleme: 18:33 TSÝ 19 Þubat 2008 Salý

– Turkey’s government had weakened one of the mail pillars of the
constitution and was now shaking the foundations on which the country
was built, the leader of Turkey’s main opposition party said Tuesday.

Having rammed amendments to the constitution allowing for women to
wear the Islamic headscarf while attending university through the
parliament the government was now undermining the basis of the
Lausanne Treaty with its bill on minority foundations, said Deniz
Baykal, the chairman of Republican People’s Party (CHP).

Addressing a meeting of his party’s parliamentary deputies in Ankara,
Baykal said the government had focused the agenda of the country on
two issues, the lifting of the headscarf ban and the bill amending
the foundations’ law.

`This government is recklessly attacking both the constitution and
the Lausanne Treaty, this is no coincidence!’ said Baykal.

The Lausanne Treaty was signed between the Allied powers of World War
One and the newly founded Turkish Republic in 1923 and recognised the
boundaries of the new state and its rights and obligations towards
the Greek, Jewish and Armenian minorities living in its territory.

Baykal also queried why it was that the constitutional amendment on
lifting the headscarf ban at universities had been waiting to be
signed at the presidential palace for eight days.

He said it was significant that President Abdullah Gul felt the need
to give deep thought to this arrangement.