BY ISMET BERKAN
RADIKAL- Turkey needs to make certain constitutional changes to continue its path to European Union membership. When our National Program was drawn up last year, then Foreign Minister Ali Babacan sought to meet with opposition party leaders to explain the program firsthand and request support for the legal and constitutional changes it requires.
But neither main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal nor Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli would meet with Babacan. This situation raised tensions, and so Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan picked a fight with Baykal and the two leaders even refused to shake hands with each other. And of course the issue of constitutional changes was never discussed and was dropped. Today I'm talking about two important changes. One of them would give the position of ombudsman a constitutional status, because a law establishing an ombudsman was struck down by the Constitutional Court on the grounds that the Constitution makes no mention of it. The second issue is harmonizing with the Council of Europe's Venice Commission report about closing down political parties.
Certain changes are needed, but they concern technical harmonization. But whenever such changes come up, other irrelevant proposals are made in order to sound out the opposition and ruling parties. And it happened again this time. But in light of what happened with failed changes on the headscarf issue and how this tension hurt the government, the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party changed its stance on constitutional changes. In the past, the AK Party's strategy was to trigger public referendums on whatever changes it wanted.
Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek announced the AK Party's new stance, saying it would seek a consensus with the CHP. Although this statement was reiterated and Erdogan even mentioned it, no answer has come from Baykal. But at his party's group meeting yesterday, Baykal said two proposed changes are indispensable, namely one clarifying parliamentary and presidential terms of office and another providing individuals the right to file petitions with the Constitutional Court .
It seems Baykal isn't dead set against the rest of the proposed changes. Baykal may be responding to Erdogan's more conciliatory stance since the recent local elections and the Cabinet reshuffle. Now a commission will probably be set up at Parliament to look for a basis and consensus for the changes with the help of Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan. It is very important and noteworthy that our politicians took action to resolve this first important deadlock.