BY ALI BAYRAMOGLU
YENI SAFAK- Columnist Ali Bayramoglu writes about a possible change in Turkey’s political system with a redefinition the military’s role. A summary of his column is as follows:
Shaping up around our country’s European Union harmonization packages, the heated debate on change is continuing in its various forms. Future EU packages set to follow the sixth are likely to focus on much more critical issues such as shrinking the Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) autonomous role within the state. It is at least growing more probable than ever that certain concrete steps to this end will be taken in the very near future.
As a matter of fact we have been hearing reports that the seventh EU harmonization package is already on the way, and that this time it is being prepared by Foreign Ministry bureaucrats. The reports also have it that the new package would envisage a National Security Council (NSC) Secretariat-General which would be much more ‘civilian.’ In fact, even a non-military official could be appointed to the post.
Among those critical steps, the most critical ones would be giving the NSC a more civilian structure and putting controls on the military’s budget and expenditures. Indeed, these two points constitute the core of the military guardianship issue in our country and lie at the heart of the overwhelming political power of the TSK. This is how since the 1960 coup the military has grown to be an establishment which has authority but is in no way answerable to any control mechanism, and one which can intervene in everything but which is itself immune to any intervention. It is such an institution which has the final word on the supposedly democratic functioning of state and political decision-making processes, and which makes a clear distinction between the state and the governing power, identifying itself with the former.
Making the MGK a much more civilian-dominated institution and securing a democratic functioning of state would the greatest reform, and even a revolution in Turkey’s political system.
This time I have set my hopes high that a comprehensive transformation process could begin in our country’s political system. One reason for my optimism is that the mainstream media, one which hitherto blamed the elected politicians, is now discussing the issue and even supporting possibly shattering the military taboo. But of course the military will be resistant to such a change. Most probably the General Staff is getting prepared to put up such a resistance. And in fact, we can see early signs of just that.
The change would not come without difficulties, and certainly we will have some this time. But such a change would be worthwhile.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION