Erdoğan calls on politicians to unite for Turkey

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged politicians under the parliament roof to unite for the country.

One should first say “nation” if he wants to take a place under the roof of the Turkish Parliament, Erdoğan said on Oct. 1, speaking at the ceremony for the start of the new legislative year of the parliament’s 27th term.

“It’s our common triumph that Turkey’s democracy has come to this point,” he said.

“Our new administration model is evidence that our problems can be solved through democracy,” Erdoğan stated.

Recalling the ongoing talks with the United States for setting up a safe zone across the Turkish border in northern Syria, Erdoğan said Turkey’s patience is at its end.

Ankara wanted to carry on the safe zone project with its ally, Erdoğan said, but he complained that the talks did not yield the expected results.

“We acted in patience. But unfortunately, we could not reach the desired outcomes for the east of Euphrates,” the president said.

Turkey will not leave the security and the future of “its brothers” to the will of powers who has an account in the area, he said and noted: “We push the possibilities of working together to the end, but if that is not possible, we will make our way”.

“Turkey does not have even a single day to lose if the process will continue like this,” he said, adding that the county is ready to take its own measures to set up the planned safe zone unilaterally with its military capacities.

Erdoğan emphasized that Turkey prepared a plan for the reconstruction of northern Syria and for the settlement of Syrians there. He added that Turkey plans to hold an international donor conference.

The General Assembly of the parliament convened under the gavel of Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop. On Oct. 3 and 4, the general assembly is scheduled to debate international treaties. Meanwhile, the parliament’s justice commission is expected to convene on Oct. 3 for the much-heralded new judicial reform package.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) will enter their party camps in the first week of the legislative year for preparations. For this reason, the agenda of the first week of the General Assembly will be low intensity focused on international conventions.

Following the party camps, parliament’s priority on the agenda will be the proposal for judicial reform and an amendment to the Customs Law. The AKP has submitted a draft proposal, which contains important regulations related to the judiciary, to the CHP, the National Movement Party (MHP) and İyi (Good) Party groups.

The customs proposal, which will be discussed at the Industry and Trade Commission, will be on the agenda of the General Assembly in the first weeks of this month. While the penalties are increased with the customs proposal, the “regret and reconciliation” system will also be carried to this area.

Legislative leaders aim to revise the parliament bylaws to fix problems arising from the adaptation to the new presidential system.

The AKP administration is expected to seek reconciliation with the opposition in this legislative year for new changes aimed at boosting parliament’s effectiveness. Additionally, the Presidency of the Assembly is working on a new organizational law, which also concerns the personal rights of parliamentary employees.