CHP Says '60th Government Program' Is More Of An Election Statement Than A Program

ANKARA - Republican People`s Party (CHP) Acting Group Chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu said on Monday that the `60th Government Program` was more of an election statement than a program and emphasized that the program forgot about future goals while it over-praised the past practices.
Kilicdaroglu voiced the views of CHP on the 60th Government Program at the General Assembly and said they would relentlessly criticize the government when they deemed it necessary.
Kilicdaroglu criticized PM Erdogan for not respecting freedom of press and recalled that the EU harmonization report pointed out that journalists experienced hardships regarding enlisting in labour unions and collective agreements.
Kilicdaroglu stressed that for a free press media owners should not be allowed to participate in public tenders and journalists working on a national level should be obliged to enlist in Turkish Journalists` Labor Union (TGS).
"Will Mr. Erdogan give his word for these," asked Kilicdaroglu.
Kilicdaroglu further referred to the EU Harmonization Report regarding judiciary freedom and quoted that obstacles impeding courts to act independently, neutrally and effectively seized to exist.
"Our hearts long for the PM to say: `No bureaucrat or politician will enter the Higher Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK). HSYK will have its own budget and secretariat. Ministry of Justice inspectors will work under HYSK,` the judges will have gained their freedom. If the PM says these things we will thank him," said Kilicdaroglu.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu said the government taxed the poor while those who made billions of dollars through interest from bonds were not entitled to pay any tax and asked if these were capitulations or not.
Kilicdaroglu said foreign banks and funds made high profits due to high interest rates of bonds and criticised the privatization policies. Kilicdaroglu claimed the government failed to take under the control the black economy.