By Zheng Jinfa, Wen Yi, Xinhua
Ankara : There are still some disagreements over Turkey’s constitution amendment as a working group from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has completed the drafting work regarding the new draft constitution publicly known as “Civilian Constitution”.
The lawmakers and academicians of the AKP working group have agreed on maintaining the first articles of existing constitution covering the form of the state and characteristics of the republic, integrity of the state, official language, flag, national anthem, and capital as well as irrevocable provisions.
But they failed to reach a consensus on a formula, showing disputes for the amendment of the constitution, with the headscarf issue became the main obstacle, according to media reports.
The AKP group has presented the draft constitution to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is the party chief, and the party’s executive board is expected to convene next Tuesday to choose one of the most possible two formulas.
The first formula holds that nobody can be banned from her right to high education due to her dress, while the second one says there will be no dress code in the universities.
According to the current dress code, headscarf is not allowed in state offices and universities.
In this light, AKP prominent names are searching for a formula which will open the doors of universities to students wearing headscarf, while preventing robe, turban and black chuddar with the new constitution.
Erdogan told a press briefing in Ankara on Wednesday that efforts were being exerted to prepare a new constitution for Turkey, not for his ruling AKP party.
“We are not drafting a constitution for AKP but we set out on this road to prepare a constitution for the Republic of Turkey,” he said, adding “we are going to submit the draft constitution to parliament after a great deal of discussion is made on it.”
In an interview with the British daily Financial Times published on Wednesday, Erdogan insisted that the ban on women wearing head scarves on the campuses should be lifted as part of the proposed constitution.
He stressed that the right to higher education cannot be restricted because of what a girl wears. “I believe it is the first duty of those in politics to solve this problem.”
According to the prime minister, a wide-ranging debate would beheld on the new constitution.
Erdogan Tezic, head of the Higher Board of Education (YOK), said Thursday that moves to amend the constitution should be halted immediately.
The preparation of the constitutional amendments at the initiative of a single party cast a shadow on the democratic character of the amendment, said Tezic.
“The manner and the way that the draft was prepared created worries and insecurities in the nation,” said Tezic, adding “the proposal to lift the ban on female students wearing the head scarves at universities was also a matter of concern.”
The Turkish government will firstly inform Portugal, which holds the current EU presidency, about its “civilian constitution” activities during a Turkey-EU troika meeting in Lisbon.
However, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Deniz Baykal strongly opposed that the government inform the EU about constitutional amendment before it is discussed at home in Turkey.