BY HALUK SAHIN
RADIKAL- President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is right again, because he is prioritizing not political interests, but the law. This time Sezer is right on the constitutional amendment for the Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK). Under the amendment, the RTUK would from now on consist of members selected by political parties. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) would name six members and the opposition Republican People’s People (CHP) would chose three. In other words, members elected by the ruling party would be in they majority and they would be able to impose their ideological views on TV programs. However, the Constitution stipulates that the RTUK must be autonomous and impartial. For this reason, the European Union criteria stipulate the autonomy and impartiality of such institutions. If our membership negotiations with the EU start and the issue is discussed, there might be requests from the Turkish government on the subject. Sezer, defending the rule of law, vetoed the amendment for just this reason. Parliament then debated the issue again and made a decision. Now Sezer has no other choice but to put the issue before the public. I think Sezer should ask the public if they want politicians to decide what they will watch on television. When Sezer was vetoing it, he stated in his justification, ‘This is opening the way for political partisans to be able to become RTUK members, because it is known that generally such partisans are preferred in elections in Parliament’s General Assembly. Obviously, a method ensuring the election of politically biased figures to RTUK wouldn’t be appropriate.’
Any citizen knowing just a little about the law and the history of radio and television in Turkey would agree with Sezer. However, following Sezer’s veto, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said, ‘We don’t agree with justification. The president was elected by this Parliament as well. If you don’t trust the politicians and the Parliament of this country, how can you hold up our democracy?’ Isn’t it demagoguery to consider the selection of experts outside politics for autonomous institutions as a lack of confidence in Parliament? Turkey’s history of radio and television shows that our politicians can’t resist trying to influence communications institutions. They can’t help themselves and so they intervene. Our tradition of respecting autonomous institutions is very weak. You will see that Sezer is right again.