BURSA - Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Secretary General Ertugrul Yalcinbayir said on Tuesday, ''we are in favor of restricting influence of politicians on public officials. Undersecretaries, deputy undersecretaries and directors general are, of course, important to serve our people. However, we should be sensitive about other public officials.''
Responding questions of the A.A correspondent, Yalcinbayir said, ''each institution has its own duties. We should provide bureaucrats with the opportunity of fulfilling their duties easily. Therefore, we are in favor of restricting influence of politicians on public officials. Undersecretaries, deputy undersecretaries and directors general are, of course, important to serve our people. However, we should be sensitive about other public officials.''
Responding a question about AK Party's candidate for the prime ministry, Yalcinbayir said, ''this issue will be discussed by AK Party's authorized organs. We do not have any candidate for the time being. Any candidate for the prime ministry should get vote of confidence from the parliament. AK Party's authorized organs will play an important role in taking the decision about the prime minister.''
Yalcinbayir said the parliamentarians did not take oath so far, stressing that necessary dialogue process would start after all the procedures were completed. He said Central Executive Board of the AK Party would convene on Tuesday, stressing that a Founders Committee meeting may take place after the parliamentarians take oath.
Yalcinbayir said any naming was not in question, adding that they founded the party to make policy under basis of principles. He said desire for an authority was regardless of question.
When recalled that his name was mentioned among the nominees for prime ministry, Yalcinbayir said he has some other more qualified friends that deserve it, and that they would select the best one.
Briefing about his views regarded with political immunity of the parliamentarians, Yalcinbayir said this issue should not be taken up under individual basis.
Pointing out that bottlenecking jurisdiction and giving privilege on judgement wounded the public conscience, Yalcinbayir said they wanted the parliamentarians to disclose their views openly, yet that they did not favor political immunity which gives privilege.
Yalcinbayir said the immunity should be limited with rostrum responsibility, and that the reaction shown for some people's becoming parliamentarian showed that the society wanted immunities to be limited.
Noting that CHP and AK Party share the same views about the immunity issue, Yalcinbayir said that they can make some arrangements in the regarding articles of by-law and he added that the approach of the parties can be clearly seen as there will be open voting.
Yalcinbayir said that two commissions should be added to 16 specialty commissions in the parliament and he added that one those commissions will work on adjustment studies for the European Union (EU) and the other will be related with political ethics. He said that the establishment of those commissions will increase the confidence of the society to the Parliament.
Regarding with the discussions on legitimacy problem as 45 percent of the voters will not be represented in the Parliament, Yalcinbayir said that the discussions will not create any difficulties in the studies of Parliament. He added that EU countries have similar problems but it does not create any problem in those countries.
Yalcinbayir said that voters reflected their will in the elections and added that they will give importance to voters' views in the preparation and inspection of the laws as democracy is not only related with the parties. He said that although CHP had remained out of the Parliament before the elections, they did not weaken and they were now the main opposition party.
Yalcinbayir said that the other political parties also have much to do and he added that unfortunately, politics is still indexed on Parliament.