sPAT May 2016 Common Denominator Report announced

sPAT May 2016 Common Denominator Report has been announced to the public with a press meeting organized at the Parliament by Republican People’s Party (CHP) Mersin MP Hüseyin Çanak together with sPAT Parliamentary Coordinator Oya Özden.

sPAT May 2016 Common Denominator Report has been announced to the public with a press meeting organized at the Parliament by Republican People’s Party (CHP) Mersin MP Hüseyin Çanak together with sPAT Parliamentary Coordinator Oya Özden. 

Coming together in 14 provinces, 143 Non-Governmental Organizations could not reach a common denominator in the general agenda, “Parliamentary Immunities and the Political Ethics Law Draft.”

When we look at the opinions presented on the Regulation on Parliamentary Immunities, we clearly see two different approaches in the debates, both on the political and the public platform; mostly concerning the situation of People’s Democratic Party (HDP) MPs.

The first opinion is of those who think HDP MPs target the government as well as the public order behind the armour of “Parliamentary Immunity”, that they are in cooperation with terrorist organizations, therefore that their immunities must be taken off. However, we must record that the participants having this opinion have pointed out that the Parliamentary Immunities must in principle include only chair immunity.

The second opinion is of the participants who think the temporary regulations in the Constitution are against the provisions of the Constitution. They evaluate the amendment as a step taken by the political power to push HDP away from the political platform. Participants having this opinion also support an essential amendment in the Constitution regarding immunities, whereas, concerning all MPs, not just of HDP.

Besides the debates on parliamentary immunities, the content of debates on the agenda of “Political Ethics Law Draft” is quite limited. The most important emphasis recorded has been the importance of transparency in politics, especially regarding monetary issues. It has been expressed that the law draft will contribute to the politics being more transparent as well as on the finance and ethical values of politics. Nevertheless, the faith of resolving the issue the current political platform is in regarding ethical values is quite low.

You may read and download the May 2016 Common Denominator Report by clicking here. (only turkish)