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Turkish PM doubts party ban

Apr 15 2008

Turkish PM doubts party ban

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By Agencies

Female protestors in a recent demonstration against Turkey's ruling 'Justice and Development Party' [EPA]

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime mininster, has said he does not believe Turkey's constitutional court will ban the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

"I don’t believe that my party will be closed. I don’t think about it. It doesn’t even cross my mind," he said on Tuesday while visiting the Gulf State of Qatar.

Turkey's constitutional court decided earlier this month it would hear a case to ban the AKP on charges of seeking to undermine the country's secular regime.

"I don’t believe that the AK party has committed a crime to warrant its closure. There is no way I can accept something like that," said Erdogan.

The government has signaled that it is gearing into action to preempt the moves to ban the party.

In an interview with the Financial Times on Tuesday, Ali Babacan, the foreign minister, revealed that the Turkish government was seeking to propose laws that would change the requirements for shutting down political parties.

Erdogan, however, said that the government's plan of action does not involve a change of the constitution, which stipulates a separation between religion and the state.

"My political party respects all the rules set by the constitution and the laws. And within this framework my party has fulfilled its responsibility in all fields," he said. "We don’t have such an issue on our agenda at the moment."

He said that he was starting long consultations with top aides to find the best means of addressing the situation.

"My colleagues are working on the legal process and after I return from Qatar, we will assess the situation both inside and outside our party. After that we will decide what steps we want to take," Erdogan said.

"I’ve already convened a high-level meeting [with officials] of my political party and heard their views. They have given me the authority to work on this issue and we will continue to do that."