Bahceli: A Date Was Set To Hold Elections

ANKARA (A.A) - 21.07.2002 - State Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said on Saturday, ''a date was set to hold elections. Election process has begun. No one should step back at this point.''
Responding questions of journalists, Bahceli said, ''during the summit meeting among leaders of the three political parties forming the coalition government, we have decided in principle to hold early elections on November 3, 2002. A date was set to hold elections. Election process has begun. No one should step back at this point. If the Democratic Left Party (DSP) Assembly conveys its preference not to hold the elections on November 3 to us, we will reject this proposal.''
Responding a question about statements of Prime Minister and DSP leader Bulent Ecevit, Bahceli said, ''many political parties have accepted the date November 3, 2002 for the early elections. They called on the parliament to hold an extraordinary meeting to this end. The MHP is one of these political parties. Also, during the summit meeting among leaders of the three political parties forming the coalition government, we have decided in principle to hold early elections on November 3, 2002.''
''The issue of approval of adjustment laws with the European Union (EU) is up to a compromise to be reached among other political parties having seats at the parliament,'' he said.
Noting that recent political developments enguled Turkey to hold early elections, Bahceli said, ''the 57th government has served the country in a great way. If such political development had not occurred, the government would have remained in the power till April of 2004.''
When asked whether or not Election Law and Political Parties Law would be amended, Bahceli said, ''according to my point of view, we will not have enough time to make these changes.''