NGO Initiatives Urge Freedom and Equality

STKB, founded by 207 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), presented its proposal of changes to the media. The union will present its suggestions on the changes that have to be made to the Constitution and the laws to the presidency of the Parliament.

"The NGOs are not competitors of politics"

"NGOs are not competitors of or alternatives to politics." Said Erten, the STKB chair.

"On the contrary, the NGOs would increase the living standards of the society by putting what they produce to the service of the society and the parliament," he told journalist.

Prof. Dr. Bulent Berkarda, Hasmet Atahan, Erkan Onsel and Gokhan Ecevit, the STKB spokespeople were also present at the press conference.

The concrete requirements are determinative

Erten stated that the attitude of the foundations, associations, and unions in a country are conditioned by the concrete situations of that country.

"In a country where pillage, injustice, poverty and ignorance are so common, you wouldn't have fulfilled your duty just by being an environmentalist or by defending the economic interests of your profession."

"There might be times that our duty of informing the public and resisting wrong doings might over take other duties. With these concerns, and to go beyond the deadlock in politics, we are proposing some changes in the Elections Law, Political Parties Law and the Constitution."

Suggestions for change

The proposal for changing the laws, prepared by the Social Democracy Foundation (SODEV), which works for the STKB, are compiled under four main topics, which are; Constitution, Political Parties Law, Elections Law and Ethics Law. The following items are in the proposal:

The proposed changes to the Constitution

* The ban on public workers to become members of political parties, should be removed,

* Deputies' Immunity should be limited to immunity of speech in the parliament.

* * The elections should be held once in four years,

* The number of the members of the parliament should be reduced to 440.

The proposed changes to the Political Parties Law

* The articles regarding only one type organization, should be removed. There should be organization opportunities in the lowest residential units,

* The political parties' cooperation with associations, unions, foundations, cooperatives and professional unions should be free,

* The 99th article that bans statements and any attitude against the September 12 coup, should be removed,

* All the political parties that have gained the right to enter the elections should be able to equally appear on television and radio debates.

Elections Law

* The ceiling of the election barrier should remain at five percent.

* The voters abroad should be able to vote in the Turkish National Assembly (TBMM) elections. Foreign countries should be considered an election domain,

* There should be a determined limit for the election spendings of political parties and candidates, the election proceeds and spendings should be publicized, and be accountable to a committee. Measures should be imposed against violations.

* Pre - elections with the members should be compulsory. The pre-elections should be held six months before the elections. In the pre - elections, twice as much candidate of candidates should be elected for the final round of elections. Twice the number of the deputies, who will be elected, should be elected through the pre-elections.

Ethics Law

* The activities that do not accord with being a member of the parliament and the committees that will inspect these activities should be determined through a new law. This law states that:

* The members of the parliament, as soon as they are elected they should leave their business to caretakers appointed by courts.

* The deputies will not be able to carry on executing their profession,

* They will not be able to have a public job,

* There will be a deduction in the wages of the deputies each time they do not attend a meeting. The deputies will present a written declaration of all their income other than their wages, to the presidency of the parliament,

* The deputies will not accept presents that are over a certain value. (BB/FA)