The CHP, the law and the EU

BY DERYA SAZAK
MILLIYET- During a recent meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Derya Baykal said that he would be honored to go to the EU summit on Dec. 17 if Erdogan deemed it appropriate. With the celebratory atmosphere coming from last week’s historic EU progress report, Erdogan was asked, ‘Would you think of going to Brussels with Mr. Baykal?’ and he replied, ‘Why not?’ However, then Baykal hedged. He said, ‘Saying let’s go to Brussels on Dec. 17 without knowing what the ruling party will say is only an expression of good will.’ What changed in just three days? Former Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz criticized the progress report harshly, explaining the risks awaiting Turkey, and claimed that its recommendation was not for full membership but rather ‘special status.’ Actually the CHP should have said all this, but Baykal preferred to jump immediately to Erdogan’s invitation. He does this all the time.
The day after the AKP’s victory in the November 2002 elections, Baykal went to AKP headquarters and kowtowed to future Prime Minister Erdogan. The CHP had lost the elections, but Baykal was trying to give the message that the opposition party actually had control. However, this policy only strengthened Erdogan and marginalized the opposition party. I wish Baykal would deal with issues of democracy and law and push Parliament to reform the Political Parties and Elections Law. This would be better than going with Erdogan to Brussels.