"The process that we are involved in will not in the slightest lessen our fervor for serving the country or dampen our struggle for democracy," he told an AK Party parliamentary group meeting yesterday. The ruling AK Party, re-elected to power last summer with 47 percent of the vote, is currently facing a closure case in the Constitutional Court for alleged Islamist activities.
Erdoğan warned that the closure case could have severe economic and political consequences. "Politics cannot avoid its duty of finding a solution to the issue," he said. He also stated that he had full confidence that democracy would emerge stronger than ever at the end of this process, adding that he thought all political parties should contribute to that end. "Everybody should know that water doesn't run uphill. Turkey cannot be turned back on its journey towards democracy," he said. He noted that his party had started its political journey saying "more democracy, more wealth for all of our citizens," and underlined that despite the closure case, the AK Party would continue to act as an interpreter of the nation's mind, conscience and feelings.
"We will continue to produce solutions and remedies for all of the country's issues, from constructing highways for 81 provinces to roads for 40,000 of Turkey's villages, from issues of production, employment and competition to the health of our people," he said. He also stated that his government had plans to speed up political reforms required to join the European Union after they had been stalled for months. He said Parliament next week would pass an amendment to Article 301, a penal code article criticized by the EU and human rights groups as limiting free speech.
"We have taken a step regarding Article 301, which has always produced controversy. Other steps that will bring Turkish democracy forward will follow this on a fast track," he said, without elaborating. Erdoğan said the EU process remains a priority for the government. "The important aspect about the EU for us is that it is an important platform for bringing our democracy up to universal standards. For this reason, it is impossible for our government to fall into lethargy concerning the EU process. The universals standards [of democracy] are above the target of full membership," he noted.
"The process from now on will once more show our government's determination on the EU path. We will have the opportunity to evaluate the road map [with Manuel Barroso and Ollie Rehn] for the future," he said. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn will visit Ankara on Friday for talks amidst these troubled times for the AK Party.
Closure case against AK Party
The Constitutional Court agreed last week to hear a case brought by a chief prosecutor to have the AK Party shut down, arguing that it is trying to create an Islamic state.
The prosecutor has also called for 71 AK Party officials, including Erdoğan, along with President Abdullah Gül, to be banned from politics for five years. The AK Party denies the charges. The case is expected to take months, and the threat of protracted political instability has unsettled financial markets. The government abandoned plans on Monday to make changes to the Constitution to head off the closure threat after failing to secure the support of the MHP, whose backing would be needed to push constitutional changes through Parliament.
Meanwhile, the AK Party Disciplinary Board issued a warning to Konya deputy Hüsnü Tuna. Board chairman Kastamonu deputy Hakkı Köylü released a statement after their meeting, saying that they decided to give a warning to Tuna for his claim that the headscarf ban would also be lifted in public buildings. Köylü said Tuna, who made this speech during a visit to the Konya Journalists Association, needs to speak more carefully as, even if these are his personal ideas, a deputy should obey the rules of conduct of the party. In related news AK Party member Turhan Çömez, a former deputy from Balıkesir, was expelled from the party.
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