Turkish Parliament in session until Aug 21
ANKARA
DHA Photo
Parliament’s General Assembly has voted to extend its work until Aug. 21, upon a proposal by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).This is not the first postponement of Parliament’s recess. With the latest postponement, the ruling party aims at completing deliberations over an omnibus law including measures on more than 170 articles on different topics.
Meanwhile, Parliament set the exact date to debate a censure motion filed by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) against Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu for Aug. 16.
The CHP deputies opposed the motion, arguing Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s duty will end when the High Election Board (YSK) declares the official results of the presidential elections on Aug. 15, thus his membership to the Parliament and Prime Ministry will naturally last.
Deputy spokesperson of the Parliament Sadık Yakut said at the moment he cannot call Erdoğan president. “I am not saying we cannot discuss the issue. But, we cannot talk about anything that is not declared certain yet,” Yakut added.
Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) lawmaker Adil Zozani also opposed debating the bill, underlining the uncertainty on the Prime Ministry when the YSK declares official results.
Parliament’s summer recess was originally scheduled to begin on July 1. However, it was previously extended to July 25 upon an initiative by the AKP. That extension was widely considered to be an indication of the government’s desire to ensure the approval of a bill giving legal framework to the peace process with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) before the presidential elections, as part of Prime Minister Erdoğan’s bid to attract support from Kurdish voters.
Eventually, the law went effect after being published in the Official Gazette on July 16, following President Abdullah Gül’s approval.
Since mid-July, the General Assembly has been debating an omnibus law including measures on more than 170 articles on different topics.