Parliament to take a break on July 1

ANKARA

The Parliament will take a break from July 1, PM Erdoğan says. DAILY NEWS photo

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) government will allow the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) to take a break on July 1, after legislating a group of proposals including the third jurisdiction package.

In the AKP’s Central Executive Committee meeting, which lasted until the late hours on Monday, the issue of Parliament’s summer vacation break was resolved. Prime Minister Erdoğan wanted Parliament to take a break on 1 July, after the legislation of third jurisdiction package. Yesterday, at the end of his group speech, he announced that Parliament would start its vacation July 1. He also thanked the deputies for their hard work and celebrated their Ramadan. Upon the Hürriyet Daily News’ question asked yesterday, AKP Group Deputy Chairman Mustafa Elitaş said opposition parties had negotiated and agreed to take a break after legislation has been passed on a number of proposals on the agenda until July 1. Third jurisdiction packages will be legislated by that time, Elitaş said.

According to the timetable given by Elitaş, the General Assembly will work on the Turkish Commercial Code Proposal, the uncompleted State Secrets Law Proposal, two proposals prescribing changes to many laws that also bring limits to Cesarean sections, and a proposal extending the presence of troops in Lebanon for one more year. Parliament will work day and night if necessary, and will legislate the third jurisdiction package by working on Saturday June 30 and Sunday July 1, Elitaş said. If it cannot be finished by then, Parliament’s work will be extended for a maximum of one or two days.

3rd jurisdiction package

According to the third jurisdiction package, judges will be able to implement judicial control without a maximum limit, instead of using arrest. Those found guilty of aiding and abetting terror organizations will be given penalties according to the nature of the aid given.

Also, a regulation suggesting that those who take part in terrorist-supporting protests should be punished like an organization member will become more flexible and penalties will be abated.

The end of Special Authority Courts is not certain

On the other hand, the end of the changes to be made in CMK 250 (Special Authority Courts) has not yet been determined. Prime Minister Erdoğan previously said that a change about the limitations of Special Courts’ authorities could be made, but he also stated that this may not be related to the third or fourth jurisdiction packages, and rather could be an independent regulation. It is not yet clear if a change in CMK 250 will be made with a motion in the third jurisdiction package negotiations before the Parliament takes a break.

In the meantime, it has been confirmed that the fourth jurisdiction package will be postponed until October.