Turkish opposition urges rearrangement in top court

Bahceli, chairman of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the third largest group in the Turkish Parliament, told a press conference at the headquarters of his party in Ankara that balancing of powers and responsibilities of the three most basic bodies of the state, which were legislative, executive and judiciary, in the most rational way was of crucial importance.

"In the light of these views, we are ready with our 70 deputies to assess and contribute to amendments that would be prepared with the widest possible accord in the parliament," Bahceli was quoted as saying by the Anatolian Agency.

He said these amendments could even include Articles 148 and 153 of the constitution, arranging the powers and responsibilities of the Constitutional Court.

"MHP is against the dissolution of political parties unless they resort to violent means and used terror as a tool towards their political goals... We maintain this position since the day a dissolution case was filed against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)," Bahceli added.

The closure case filed against the Islamist-rooted AKP triggered a debate in Turkey on the powers and responsibilities of the Constitutional Court. Some say such cases harm the democratic principle in Turkey, while others defend the idea that the court should act to keep the regime in balance.

Bahceli referred to their earlier proposal suggesting individual punishment for unconstitutional acts of politicians rather than dissolution of political parties, noting that the said proposal was still on the table.

The MHP leader said Turkey was forced to go through a highly dangerous confrontational era. He said this should end at all costs, and Turkey's national unity, peace and democratic regime should be protected.