Çiçek urges committment to new charter

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

It is an obligation for all four parties to draft a new constitution, says Çiçek. AA photo

Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek warned all four political parties yesterday that failing to draft a new constitution would have very serious political results, while pointing out the hypocrisy behind the recent Feb. 28 post-modern coup probe.

Çiçek recalled that coups staged by the military in the past are now being prosecuted by the judiciary, especially 1980 coup where five generals overtook the administration, in his address to the Turkey Speaks platform held in Gaziantep as part of parliament’s efforts to rewrite the constitution.

“Five people came together to start a new period. You said this was against the law, the Constitution and universal laws. You judged them, but at the same time you’re going to continue with a constitution created under similar circumstances. Can this contradiction be explained to the world,” Çiçek said.

“It has become an obligation for all four political parties to draft a new constitution. If we don’t, the political institution will seriously lose its reputation,” he said.