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SECURITY BILL FULLY COMPLIES WITH EU NORMS, DAVUTOGLU PLEDGES, CHALLENGING OPPOSITION
Journal of Turkish Weekly
Feb 10 2015
10 February 2015
The Turkish government's contentious new security bill is fully
in line with EU norms and universal values, Prime Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu has stressed, vowing to pass the law despite delays and
criticizing the opposition for trying to "drag Turkey into chaos."
"The three opposition parties - backed by the real opposition, the
parallel opposition in Pennsylvania - are opting to drag Turkey into
chaos," Davutoglu told his parliamentary group on Feb. 10, referring
to the followers of Pennsylvania-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen.
Defending the security bill that has been submitted to parliament
but twice delayed until next week, he said the only way to guarantee
freedoms was to "reinforce security," saying developments in Syria
and Iraq proved this point. He also recalled the street unrest on
Oct. 6-7 last year, when thousands protested in southeastern Turkey
over the government's perceived inaction over the advance of the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on the Syrian Kurdish
town of Kobane across the border.
"I challenge once again from here. Show us just one article that
violates EU standards. Show just one clause that is against universal
democratic standards. They can't. Because we have studied each and
every clause in detail. We have shown sensitivity in order not to
deviate from universal standards," Davutoglu said.
The prime minister particularly singled out main opposition Republican
People's Party (CHP) head Kemal Kılıcdaroglu, who has called on
people to "resist" the security bill.
"You are a democratic party. You are the leader of the party. Why
don't you call on the people to go to the polls, instead of calling
on them to resist? The polls are in three months. If you believe in
yourself, go and ask for votes from the people by promising to change
this security bill if you come to power," he said.
Amid delays in the debating of the bill at parliament, as well as the
opposition's vow to stall parliament for weeks in order to halt it,
Davutoglu said the break would be a good opportunity for the opposition
to reconsider its position. "We have not given up. This bill will be
passed. It will be passed," he pledged.
Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag has also vowed that the bill would
be legislated before parliament goes to recess ahead of the June
7 elections.
New York Times article a 'signal flare'
Meanwhile, Davutoglu also touched on the New York Times' publishing
of an editorial penned by Fethullah Gulen last week that was full of
criticism against the government, including on the issue of minorities'
rights.
"Why is this? Because April 24 is looming. The lobbies in Washington
are moving. The Armenian lobby is moving, the Jewish lobby has already
been moving. They will stay mobilized for as long as the Palestine
issue is there. We will keep saying 'We will continue to stand against
any kind of lobbying groups as long as Palestine is under occupation,'"
he said.
10 February 2015
http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/179999/security-bill-fully-complies-with-eu-norms-davutoglu-pledges-challenging-opposition.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Journal of Turkish Weekly
Feb 10 2015
10 February 2015
The Turkish government's contentious new security bill is fully
in line with EU norms and universal values, Prime Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu has stressed, vowing to pass the law despite delays and
criticizing the opposition for trying to "drag Turkey into chaos."
"The three opposition parties - backed by the real opposition, the
parallel opposition in Pennsylvania - are opting to drag Turkey into
chaos," Davutoglu told his parliamentary group on Feb. 10, referring
to the followers of Pennsylvania-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen.
Defending the security bill that has been submitted to parliament
but twice delayed until next week, he said the only way to guarantee
freedoms was to "reinforce security," saying developments in Syria
and Iraq proved this point. He also recalled the street unrest on
Oct. 6-7 last year, when thousands protested in southeastern Turkey
over the government's perceived inaction over the advance of the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on the Syrian Kurdish
town of Kobane across the border.
"I challenge once again from here. Show us just one article that
violates EU standards. Show just one clause that is against universal
democratic standards. They can't. Because we have studied each and
every clause in detail. We have shown sensitivity in order not to
deviate from universal standards," Davutoglu said.
The prime minister particularly singled out main opposition Republican
People's Party (CHP) head Kemal Kılıcdaroglu, who has called on
people to "resist" the security bill.
"You are a democratic party. You are the leader of the party. Why
don't you call on the people to go to the polls, instead of calling
on them to resist? The polls are in three months. If you believe in
yourself, go and ask for votes from the people by promising to change
this security bill if you come to power," he said.
Amid delays in the debating of the bill at parliament, as well as the
opposition's vow to stall parliament for weeks in order to halt it,
Davutoglu said the break would be a good opportunity for the opposition
to reconsider its position. "We have not given up. This bill will be
passed. It will be passed," he pledged.
Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag has also vowed that the bill would
be legislated before parliament goes to recess ahead of the June
7 elections.
New York Times article a 'signal flare'
Meanwhile, Davutoglu also touched on the New York Times' publishing
of an editorial penned by Fethullah Gulen last week that was full of
criticism against the government, including on the issue of minorities'
rights.
"Why is this? Because April 24 is looming. The lobbies in Washington
are moving. The Armenian lobby is moving, the Jewish lobby has already
been moving. They will stay mobilized for as long as the Palestine
issue is there. We will keep saying 'We will continue to stand against
any kind of lobbying groups as long as Palestine is under occupation,'"
he said.
10 February 2015
http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/179999/security-bill-fully-complies-with-eu-norms-davutoglu-pledges-challenging-opposition.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress