New constitution a must: Parliament speaker Çiçek

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Drafting of a new constitution is an obligation, Cemil Çiçek says. AA photo

In the past, the drafting of a new constitution was a societal demand, but it has now turned into an obligation, Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek warned Nov. 1.

Speaking before the Planning and Budget Commission during deliberations over the Parliament’s 2013 budget, Çiçek also complained about the vague status of lawmakers, describing them as the only people whose status in the state organization is not clear in the country.

Recalling that the Parliament’s Constitution Reconciliation Commission began work on drafting of a new constitution around one year ago, Çiçek said serious adversities would be the case in Turkey’s proceeding with the current constitution.

“Demand for a new constitution was a societal one in the past, but today, a new Constitution has turned into an obligation. As the 24th term Parliament, we have a responsibility to present a new constitution to the nation. Being a bit behind the scheduled timetable, we carry on the studies, I hope that we realize this as soon as possible, otherwise Turkey will encounter a situation of wasting its own time and effort on new constitutional problems every day,” Çiçek said.

The commission has only drafted 38 articles as part of the fundamental rights and freedoms chapter amid blocks placed on 90 articles by the parties.

Çiçek, meanwhile, highlighted his aspirations for using the 2013 budget for ameliorating the working conditions of the deputies.

“In the case of an adjustment regarding the deputies, it is the end of the world. When every kind of empowerment is given to those with status far beyond that, no one raises any objections. We do the most difficult job in the world and it is the deputies who stand by the citizens in their weddings, funerals and sickness. Therefore, we need to determine that status [for the lawmakers].”