Turkey's top boss wishes ‘steps toward rule of law’ in New Year message

ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

TÜSİAD Chairman Muharrem Yılmaz has conveyed his New Year wishes for Turkey in a written message. AA Photo

The head of Turkey’s leading business organization reasserted his urge for the maintenance rule of law in the country in his New Year’s message.

“Our irrecusable and inalienable expectations for 2014 are the improvement of democracy, meeting universal human rights standards and authorities to take steps needed for the establishment of the superiority of law and judiciary independence, despite this being a year of elections,” TÜSİAD Chairman Muharrem Yılmaz said in his written address.

Yılmaz said 2013 will go down in history as the year in which demands of pluralism, participation, rights and freedom, peace, justice and ethical politics came to forefront in Turkey.

“These expectations will remain at the heart of our hopes for 2014,” he continued.

He also touched upon struggles ahead of the Turkish economy, saying the realization of structural reforms needed for growth would make 2014 the beginning year of welfare in the country.

The TÜSİAD head also pressed for the revival of country’s EU bid.

“Progress in EU negotiations and opening new chapters would also bring the refreshment to the country’s needed reform agenda,” the message read.

In a speech he delivered on Dec. 26, the chairman said the country is passing through hard times, referring to the ongoing government and jurisdiction crisis in the country that erupted following a vast corruption investigation comprising senior government officials.

“We have to overcome this test with our democratic gains, without damaging the judiciary’s independence and discrediting our belief in politics and justice,” he had stressed.