Parliament Speaker Çiçek urges common sense as Parliament set to open

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

"The road to unity and solidarity passes through common sense. It also passes through reconciliation and sitting down and talking," Çiçek says. AA photo

The road to unity and solidarity passes through common sense, reconciliation, and engaging in dialogue, Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek has said, days before Parliament’s recess ends on Oct. 1.

“Especially with what is happening around us, what is happening in the outside world, when we identify how this relates to Turkey more closely, we realize how important unity and solidarity really are. The road to unity and solidarity passes through common sense. It also passes through reconciliation and sitting down and talking. All other roads and methods are dead ends,” Çiçek said, answering questions from the press during an award ceremony of the Ankara Chamber of Furniture-makers and Craftsmen on Sept. 27.

“If we are to live with our heads up high, strong and together, it is essential that this call is remembered every day, all the time” he said.

While affirming that everyone is entitled to the right to protest, Çiçek underlined that this right must be practiced within the scope of the law.

‘Military motion most important issue’

“Firstly, you cannot go outside the law. Secondly, before all else, those who set the rules cannot go outside. If we both set the rules and go beyond them ourselves, it’s not be appropriate or right. Thirdly, we will never resort to coercion and violence while we protest and state our views,” he said.

Çiçek pointed to the parliamentary motion required to launch military action abroad as the most important issue facing Parliament in the coming days, but refrained from commenting on its content, as the motion is yet to be prepared.

The Parliament speaker said public opinion must not yet occupy itself with debates on the motion. “Let us not waste the time of public opinion with meaningless discussions. If the government feels such a need, they will send it [to Parliament] as a motion. Then, we will share it with you. But there is no motion that has been submitted to us yet,” Çiçek said.