TURKISH PRESIDENT APPROVED A PACKAGE OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
PanARMENIAN.Net
May 13, 2010 – 12:21 AMT 07:21 GMT
Turkish President Abdullah Gul approved the government’s constitutional
amendment package on May 12. The government is now focused on a public
referendum on the package. The Republican People’s Party (CHP), on the
other hand, plans to appeal the package at the Constitutional Court,
Today’s Zaman reported.
The two pillars of the reforms call for overhauling the Constitutional
Court and the restructuring of the Supreme Board of Judges and
Prosecutors, responsible for managing the judiciary.
If everything goes according to the ruling Justice and Development
Party’s (AK Party) plans and no further surprises occur, the package
will be submitted to referendum on July 18.
With Article 17, the Constitutional Court will have a total of 17
regular members. Three of these will be appointed by Parliament. The
president will choose three members from among the Supreme Court of
Appeals’ nominees, two from among judges nominated by the Council
of State, one by the Military Supreme Court of Appeals, one from
among three nominees by the Military Higher Administrative Court and
three from judges nominated by the Higher Education Board (YOK). Four
other members will be appointed, again by the president, from among
independently employed lawyers, first-class judges and prosecutors
and from among Constitutional Court rapporteurs who have served the
high court for at least five years.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
