Cicek: Progress Report Says That 10 Percent Electoral Threshold Should Be Decreased. However, It Has Different Purposes

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said on Monday, ''the European Commission's Progress Report says that 10 percent electoral threshold should be decreased. However, this request has different purposes such as representation of political parties based on ethnic origin at the parliament.''
     Replying to questions of journalists, Cicek said, ''according to the Progress Report, Turkey should have approve six laws till December 17th, 2004. Also, Progress Report says that 10 percent electoral threshold should be decreased. However, this request has different purposes such as representation of political parties based on ethnic origin at the parliament. The threshold was put into force in order to secure stability in Turkey in the general elections of 1983. I want to underline once again that if there had not been stability in Turkey, we would have not achieved all those successes and approved all those laws.''
     Noting that Turkey would enter a very important and difficult period as of October 3rd, 2005, Cicek said, ''Turkey will start entry talks process with the EU. The process is expected to last for 10 years. Actually, this period depends on stability in Turkey. We can hold discussions about parliamentary or presidential systems, but we have to preserve stability. If we target to rule the country with parliamentary system, the electoral threshold should be preserved, and even different regulations should be made. Another formula can be found for representation of political parties, which could not have seats at the parliament. But, if we want lasting stability, we should adopt presidential system.''
     (UK-A֩
2005-01-03