Turkish parliament passes new reform demanded by EU, expands civic freedoms
Thursday, November 4, 2004 3:55:36 PM
afxpress.com
ANKARA (AFX) - The Turkish parliament has passed a law expanding the freedoms of civic associations, a reform demanded by the European Union ahead of a crucial Dec 17 decision on Turkey's membership bid
Legislators first passed the bill in July, but it was vetoed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer on the grounds that several provisions breached the constitution
Now that parliament has passed the law for a second time without changes, Sezer does not have a second veto right -- but reserves an option to ask the constitutional court to cancel the bill. The law is part of several amendments, including also reforms that will remove legal snags hampering the work of non-Muslim religious foundations, establish a judicial police and amend criminal procedures, which the EU expects Turkey to adopt in the short-run
Those amendments were mentioned as outstanding issues in an Oct 6 report by the European Commission, the EU executive arm, which recommended the opening of accession talks with Turkey
EU leaders will decide on Dec 17 whether to start negotiations with the mainly Muslim nation, a membership candidate since 1999
fxstreet.com
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