BY FERAI TINC
HURRIYET- Columnist Ferai Tinc comments on today’s parliamentary debates on the sixth European Union harmonization package. A summary of her column is as follows:
Today our Parliament is to debate the sixth European Union harmonization package. We will all watch the parliamentary proceedings on TV.
The EU is currently moving through a significant period of transformation. Since Turkey wants to become a member of the Union, our government cannot ignore this process.
First of all, we should accept this package for ourselves, not for the sake of the EU. We cannot resist change through the pretext that ‘the EU will never accept us.’ Won’t Turkey raise its standards of living even if the EU doesn’t approve our membership?
A society cannot make significant changes without the benefit of a strong leadership guiding it. However, the political leadership should also recall that it is the nation which grants it such a powerful authority. The people’s support should be ensured in order to implement reforms. The governments must pay attention to the needs and demands of the people. However, it seems that our government doesn’t take seriously the support of women, one of the most important segments of society. Let’s not forget that a society’s attitude towards women can be a yardstick of how modern and contemporary it is.
‘We can’t live together unless you find a solution to your so-called “honor killings”,’ says Europe. As a matter of fact, the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) violates the principle of equality between men and women, but the Justice and Development Party (AKP) seems to ignore the demands of Turkish women. ‘We can’t please everybody,’ said Justice Minister Cemil Cicek. And just who is this ‘everybody’? I guess he was referring to women’s organizations which have drawn up proposals to amend the TCK. With such an outdated approach, Turkey can never harmonize itself with the European standards of living.
Today will witness another significant event. The ‘Women’s Working Group on the TCK’ made up of nine non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will hold a press conference to voice its opposition to amendments proposed for the penal code. These NGOs believe the pending amendments to be insufficient, and so is proposing new arrangements. ‘Equality of the sexes is a central pillar of all democratic regimes,’ they say. ‘Certain regulations envisaged by the TCK should be abolished in order to do away with gender discrimination.’
Let’s pay attention to their demands.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION