Vote on law proposal for investigation of public employees stirs debate

ANKARA

Following the rejection of a bill, which stipulates to conduct a security investigation for those who will be appointed to the public for the first time, by opposition parties’ votes on March 31, the Presidential Board of the parliament has decided to revote after the intervention of the Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop.

The main opposition Republican Peoples’ Party (CHP) said they will apply to the Constitutional Court over the “violation” of a parliament house regulation.

The bill dubbed “Security Investigation and Archive Research Law Proposal” was submitted by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), aiming to bring security investigation and archive research for those who will be appointed to public office.

Yet, the bill was rejected on March 31 when opposition parties - the CHP, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and İYİ (Good) Party - voted against the articles of the proposal.

For the first time in many years, a bill was rejected in parliament by the opposition votes.

The proposal included a provision that the person’s spouse, first-degree blood and affinity relatives, that is, the family of the person’s spouse, will be included within the scope of the security investigation.

However, the AKP and the Nationalistic Movement Party (MHP) objected to the voting on the grounds that it did not comply with the parliament house regulation. Şentop in March convened the presidential board to decide whether to revote the proposal.

The board decided with a majority of the AKP and MHP members for a revote, citing the provision of the regulation that says, “the president and the clerk members together count those who raise their hands for and against the issue.”

The bill proposal was revoted for its articles on April 1 and passed with AKP and MHP votes. It will be voted on April 6 to become law.

The bill of law had been brought to the parliament earlier but was criticized by opposition parties on the argument that it resembled the state of emergency regulations.

The law proposal prepared by the AKP last year was annulled by the Constitutional Court twice. The ruling party again brought the bill to the agenda of the parliament nine months later last week.