STRASBOURG-DUBLIN - Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that they thougt to amend firtsly the Article 109 of the Constitution and then Articles 76 and 78 of the Constitution.
Responding the reporters' question on the plane, Erdogan said that those articles would be changed after the commissions were established in the parliament.
When asked when Article 76 of the Constitution would be amended, Erdogan said that the steps would be rapidly taken after the commissions were established in the parliament and added, ''amendments in the articles will be made within one month.''
Asked whether Article 109 of the Constitution would be amended, he said that it would be amended with the mutual talks and compromise.
Responding to the question if there could be a regulation which would provide a possibility for the by-elections, Erdogan said, ''it is related with the regulations. It can be made with the regulations. The same thing can be made in the Article 109.''
Upon the question on Article 109, 78 and 76 of the Constitution, Erdogan stated, ''we think to amend firtsly the Article 109 of the Constitution and then Articles 76 and 78 of the Constitution. We will search for the compromise.''
When he was reminded about the criticisms that those amendments could change parliamentary system, Erdogan claimed that they would not change parliamentary system and went on saying, ''it has nothing to do with it. A thing which will change a parliamentary system is a thing that contradicts with the national and political will. If a proposal is made in the parliament with 110 people, this is the requirement of the parliamentary system.''
Asked if appointment of prime minister outside the parliament by the president would mean misuse of Constitution, Erdogan said, ''it is not a situation peculiar to only a person. Let me give an example. It can be said 'the leader or deputy of a political party which wins the elections or gets the highest votes in the elections.' Thus, the issue will be legalized.''
Erdogan said, ''look what we are saying. If a political party chooses a person as its leader and the nation makes this party the ruling party, then we have to respect to that.''
Asked if they thought of preparing a new Constitution and calling for a referendum, Erdogan said that they thought of reviewing the Constitution in the light of the European Convention on Human Rights and that they had earlier announced this.
Erdogan noted that they had to search for ways to solve such issues in the parliament.
When asked if they would take up constitutional amendments as a package or one by one, Erdogan said, ''I am not currently concerned with these issues. These efforts have to fulfil the requirement of the national will in the parliament. This is not my personal problem.''
ERDOGAN: 'DWELLING ON ISSUES WHICH WILL CAUSE TENSION IN THE COUNTRY IS MEANINGLESS
Erdogan responded to questions of reporters, gave information about his contacts and the content of his meeting with European Union (EU) Commissioner for enlargement.
''At least, he is using the expression that Turkey will join the EU. I saw that Verheugen's approach reflected that of Germany. That is, he is saying that they have to see our implementations before December 12. He is saying that they have to see steps before giving a negotiation date. He is saying that they have to follow the implementations. He is saying that the decision will be given by politicians not them,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan noted, ''they are saying that laws have been passed and want to learn about the stage of implementation of these laws. They are talking about torture and education in mother tongue. There are almost 3,000 files in Turkey. They are saying that there are people unjustly treated in regard to human rights and political bans.''
It would be meaningless to continue his tour if a negotiation date was not taken from the EU, Erdogan stated. He said that they would deal with prior issues in Turkey in such a case.
When a reporter reminded him that Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc's wife came to bid farewell to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, who was leaving for Prague, by wearing a headscarf, Erdogan said, ''it is time of solidarity now. Look, we are talking about fundamental rights and liberties here. It is meaningless to bring onto the agenda such specific issues. We have to achieve great things. We shouldn't dwell on these issues and we should not occupy Turkey with such formalist issues.''
Erdogan added, ''there are 5 million 300 thousand registered unemployed in Turkey and millions of people on the brink of hunger. Let's talk about these issues. It is meaningless to dwell on issues which will cause tension in the country. Close these issues. Look what we are still discussing on the road to the EU.''
ERDOGAN TO VISIT SEVEN COUNTRIES NEXT WEEK
Erdogan will visit seven countries next week within the frame of his contacts for Turkey's European Union (EU) membership.
Erdogan will visit Portugal, Denmark, Finland, France, Netherlands, Sweden and Luxembourg between November 25 and 29.