Meeting on charter proposals postponed
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News
Parliament’s constitution-making commission has been listening to represantatives of various political and non-political groups on the new constutition.
A presentation by a prominent Kurdish group at Parliament’s constitution-making commission was postponed yesterday after lawmakers failed to show up, revealing cracks in the consensus the group should be listened to.Independent deputy Ahmet Türk was scheduled to give a presentation on behalf of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK), an umbrella organization bringing together various Kurdish groups -- including the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) -- but the session was pushed back until Jan. 30.
The session reportedly could not go ahead due to the “adverse weather conditions” preventing two Commission members from traveling to Ankara, the BDP Deputy Altan Tan told the Hürriyet Daily News.
However, the Daily News has learned that objections by a commission member from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Oktay Öztürk, could also have played a part in the postponement, marking the first time the panel has been at odds on whether it should listen to a certain group.
“We already know the DTK’s views. What can Ahmet Türk tell us the Commission does not already know? He’s a Deputy; there are BDP members in the Commission. They can say what needs to be said,” Öztürk told the Daily News.
“There has to be another reason underneath their insistence,” he said. The DTK sought to “legitimize” its status through making a presentation at the Commission, Öztürk added. “If that is the case, I bid them farewell.”
Asked whether he would attend the session next week, Öztürk said: “I do not have time to waste on empty things. I am sorry but if they are not clear about their intentions, then we will not be at the meeting.”
The DTK had been expected to renew its demand for Kurdish autonomy.
