Charter panel results will be revealed May 3: Deputy PM

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Parliamentary Speaker will declare the results of the Constitution Conciliation Commission’s works on May 3, Turkish deputy PM announced. AA photo

Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç has said he expects Parliamentary Speaker Cemil Çiçek to declare on May 3 the results of work conducted by the panel responsible for drafting a new charter.

"It's been one and a half years since the Turkish Parliament started this process. If the four political parties have not been able to come to a consensus during this time, then Parliamentary Speaker Cemil Çiçek will probably announce the results [of the Constitution Conciliation Commission's work] on Friday [May 3]," Arınç told reporters.

Arınç also said it was strange that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) had an equal number of representatives at the Constitution Conciliation Commission, which is attempting to draft the new Constitution.

He said all three opposition parties were represented by three deputies on the panel, while the Justice and Development Party (AKP) also only had three parties despite being the governing party.

AKP to prepare package over weekend

Meanwhile, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is intending to prepare an amendment package that will include 40 to 50 articles during the party's consultation meeting in Kızılcahamam, near Ankara, the Hürriyet Daily News has learned.

The AKP will include in the package the 21 articles agreed by all political parties in the Constitution Conciliation Commission. The package might also propose a semi-presidential system or a model in which the president will represent a political party.

The package would be agreed at a meeting attended by all AKP province and districts heads in Kızılcahamam, starting May 3 and continuing over the weekend.

The plan, if approved, is set to be submitted to a referendum in September.