The parliamentary “Commission for National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy” convened in the Parliament Ceremony Hall for its third meeting on Tuesday. During today’s meeting, the members are expected to evaluate the commission’s roadmap for the coming months.
Holding a press conference in Parliament prior to the meeting, DEM Party MP Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit said, “The commission will draw up its own roadmap and set out a practical process. Today, we will have the opportunity to discuss the schedule for the period until October. This commission must provide legal guarantees for the process and legal safeguards for those who carry it out. The process must strive to open channels for the parties’ participation in democratic politics and social life, and ultimately ensure that peace itself is granted legal guarantees.”
CHP Group Deputy Chairman Murat Emir announced that his party will present a 29-article democratization package at the third meeting of the “Commission for National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy” in Parliament.
According to a statement made on social media, the package calls for the establishment of a fully empowered “Commission on Social Peace, Justice, and Democratic Consensus” in the Turkish Grand National Assembly, the removal of obstacles to freedom of expression and association, the guarantee of press freedom, and an end to arbitrary practices in prisons.
The recommendations include the abolition of the anonymous witness practice, an end to the abuse of effective repentance, a reassessment of the situation of those dismissed by emergency decrees, ensuring the state’s neutrality towards beliefs, an end to the trusteeship system, and a democratic political solution to the Kurdish issue.
Emir emphasized that the package offers a concrete roadmap for establishing social peace and justice.
In his opening speech at today’s meeting, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş emphasized that the commission’s most important agenda items were the steps to be taken after the disarmament process, democratization, and necessary legal reforms.
Kurtulmuş said, “The most important issue for this commission is to monitor the steps that will be taken during the process following the laying down of arms, to ensure that the necessary regulations are implemented, and to discuss steps related to democratization in Turkey during this historic period. These are undoubtedly the most important duties of our commission.”
Kurtulmuş recalled that the Minister of National Defense, the Minister of the Interior, and the Head of the National Intelligence Organization had briefed the commission members at the previous meeting which, he said, had been closed to the public due to its nature. He stated that all members had made constructive contributions despite their different perspectives.
Kurtulmuş noted that the Commission was established with 51 members representing the broadest possible representation in Parliament, with the aim of strengthening social integration, reinforcing national unity and brotherhood, and carrying out work in the areas of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. He added that all decisions were taken unanimously at the first two meetings.
Kurtulmuş said that the İYİ Party had informed them in writing that it would not appoint members to the commission, adding that the three vacant seats would be filled by one additional member each from the AKP, CHP, and DEM Party.
“The main agenda of today’s meeting will be to listen to the members’ suggestions regarding the commission’s work one by one,” he added.
Source: ANF News
