From Baykal To Erdogan

MILLIYET- Columnist Fikret Bila writes on his meeting with Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal. A summary of his column is as follows:
Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal will today criticize Gul’s government program before Parliament. Baykal worked on his speech yesterday. When Baykal criticizes Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he will speak on parliamentary immunity, changes to the Constitution and the headscarf issue. We spoke with Baykal yesterday. First we asked him his opinion on parliamentary immunity. He said, - Previously, Mr. Erdogan had promised to limit parliamentary immunity. Now he’s avoiding the issue and talking about postponing it for a year. This is unacceptable. When he appeared on the television screen, he promised the nation that this issue would be his priority. Now he clearly says that he won’t keep his promise. Then what happened to all his words about the struggle against corruption, the drive for transparency and the rule of law and the promise to clean up politics? I warned Mr. Erdogan concerning this issue during our first meeting. - What might be Mr. Erdogan’s aim in postponing the issue for a year? - I think he’s trying to protect people facing investigations and legal action. Among these people are colleagues he worked with in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, ones who he later brought into Parliament and made into ministers. - However, Mr. Erdogan isn’t a deputy and so he doesn’t have immunity. - This is the situation for now but as he estimated, probably in one year’s time he will become a deputy. I think he wants to be protected by the shield of immunity for himself and for his friends. The cleanup and struggle against corruption should start with politics. He promised to do this, and he can’t run away from this promise. - The government is preparing a legislative package, and a new constitution is on the agenda as well. What do you think about this? - First of all, they should explain their aim concerning the new constitution. They will change what? So they want to get rid of some sections of the Constitution. One wonders if they are looking to challenge the basic characteristics of the Republic or the basic principles of our Constitution. The Constitution isn’t an arrangement which should be altered at the whim of a party’s majority of seats. In addition, neither Mr. Erdogan nor Prime Minister Gul said to voters that they would change the Constitution. They promised that they would carry out such things with the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the opposition parties. This shows that the AKP will try to govern the country by not depending on their majority in Parliament. - The headscarf issue is on the Parliament’s agenda again. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer spoke some harsh words about this. What do you think about the issue? - I have warned Mr. Erdogan before that Turkey has much more important problems and that he shouldn’t clutter up the agenda with such symbols as the headscarf issue. I also gave him the example of Erbakan because when Erbakan was incapable of solving the country’s problems [when he was prime minister], he directed himself to such issues. Mr. Sezer made the necessary speech and warning. The AKP is unfortunately creating a negative political atmosphere. However, the nation won’t tolerate this and Turkey doesn’t have time to lose to such a noxious atmosphere. Baykal will give his opinion and criticisms in Parliament today. He will emphasize that not a negative, but a positive atmosphere of politics should be created and then ask the AKP to contribute to establishing such an atmosphere.

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION