ANKARA
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday political parties should not be held accountable for offences committed by individuals, as Turkey debates the constitutional procedure of shutting down a political party.
In a speech at the “2015 Balikesir Economy Awards” in western Balikesir province, Erdogan said that if the leader or members of a party commit an offence, then they should be punished themselves. “Why are you punishing the party itself?” Erdogan asked.
“For example, the ruling AK Party has 22 million voters. If you close down this party, then it will mean you are punishing 22 million people," he said. "Is this justice?”
On Tuesday, the ruling Justice and Development Party submitted a bill in the parliament that amends the procedure of shutting down a political party in the constitution.
According to the bill, the request to shut down a political party will now be filed with a parliamentary commission once such a demand is received from the Court of Appeals’ prosecutor. The request will be accepted only after the commission and the General Assembly vote in favor of closure.
The new bill came days after Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party or the CHP, said that certain groups and individuals were laying the groundwork to close down his party.
However, government sources strongly rejected his claims. "No one could attempt such a thing, closing a political party," Interior Minister Efkan Ala said during a TV interview on March 5.
Erdogan continued: “There should be an article, saying, ‘It cannot be even proposed to close down a political party.’ Those who commit an offense should pay the price.
“Hopefully, there will never be a party closure in my country any more."
The ruling AK Party itself, of which Erdogan was the chairman for twelve years before becoming President last year in August, survived a case to force its closure based on claims that it had “become a center of anti-secular acts.”
In his statement, the president also stated that new Turkey would develop through the efforts of non-governmental organizations, businessmen and entrepreneurs in the country. “My will is that you, on all occasions, talk to the public about the new Turkey, the presidential system and the new constitution,” he said.
The issue of a potential presidential system has been a hot topic in Turkey for the past few months, as the country approaches parliamentary elections in June 2015. A constitutional amendment or a new constitution is needed to set up a presidential system in Turkey.
The country's current constitution was drafted two years after a military takeover in 1980 and numerous amendments have been made to it since then.
