Constitutional Court Chief Judge Tugcu: Formation Of A Democratic Public Opinion Depends On Criteria Of Convenience Between Nation's Will And Political Will

ANKARA - "Formation of a democratic public opinion depends on the criteria of convenience between nation`s will and political will, which emerges in elections. If parliament represents an important part of voters, democracy further strengthens to that extend," Constitutional Court Chief Judge Tulay Tugcu said on Wednesday.
Taking the floor at a ceremony marking the 45th anniversary of establishment of the Constitutional Court, Tugcu said, "although Turkey lost nearly 30 thousand citizens in acts of terror in the last three decades, it is one of the countries best preserving the balance between authority and freedoms in the fight against terrorism."
"There is not such a threat of terrorism in countries of those who criticize some attitudes of Turkey in its fight against terrorism," she emphasized.
Tugcu said, "we observed that some countries quickly give up individual freedoms following some recent international acts of terror. Turkish judiciary is ready serve international judicial circles with its experiences in the fight against terrorism."
"Our century became scene of a confusion of concepts. We witness some efforts trying to justify bloody wars on behalf of peace, dictatorship on behalf of democracy, restraining policies on behalf of freedom and inhuman torture and maltreatment on behalf of humanity. In this case, indispensable values such as human rights, rule of law and democracy lose their plausibility," she said.
Referring to the EU-Turkey relations, Tugcu said, "whether Turkey becomes a full member of the Union or not, Europe will remain as a part of our culture. I believe that those, who discuss whether Turkey is a European state or nor on the ground of its geographical position and cultural difference, are not realistic at all. We consider our cultural diversity one of our most valuable assets."
"Turkey has made a series of great legal reforms to adjust itself to the EU acquis in the last 15 years. I believe that we achieved a relative integration with the EU in our daily life and regulations," she said.
Recalling that both the presidential election and the general elections would take place in 2007, Tugcu noted, "freedom of expression is a requirement of democracies. Formation of a democratic public opinion depends on the criteria of convenience between nation`s will and political will, which emerges in elections. I believe upcoming elections will lead to a parliament which will realize a secular and social state of law."
Meanwhile, upon a question, Tugcu told reporters following her speech, "if the Republican People`s Party (CHP) applies us in case a majority of 367 MPs cannot be reached during the voting at the parliament for presidential election, the Constitutional Court will carry out its routine proceedings and make a decision within the possible shortest time."