Parliament is set to begin work on Tuesday, following a 10-day break taken after intensive budget talks, on debates concerning the lifting of parliamentary immunity for deputies who face criminal complaints. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) chairman and prime minister, Ahmet Davutoğlu, last Thursday proposed that Parliament lift the immunity from prosecution for all lawmakers who face criminal complaints and collectively review the 506 outstanding dossiers. Davutoğlu said that he was waiting for an answer from all the parties by the end of the day on March 17 and that Parliament could review the issue as early as this week if the parties accept the proposal.
AK Party group Deputy Chairman Naci Bostancı met with parties' representatives on March 18, but responses from the Republican People's Party (CHP), Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) is still pending. Sources close to the government say that the CHP, MHP and HDP are likely to respond to Davutoğlu's proposal today.
Davutoğlu's proposal would add a provisional article to the Constitution and the files at the Parliament Speaker's Office and Joint Commission Directorate will be returned to the Prime Ministry starting after the article goes into effect. Commenting on the AK Party's position on lifting parliamentary immunity, the party's group deputy chairman, Bülent Turan, told Daily Sabah in an interview that "the proposition to lift the immunity of certain deputies is not due to their speeches, but due to their almost taking leading roles in terrorist activities."
The process to lift immunity first begins with the summaries being sent to the parliament speaker and then to the Constitution and Justice Joint Committee. If the committee decides for the removal of immunity, it conveys the summaries to Parliament along with its report. The report is read within 10 days in Parliament and is finalized if there is no opposition or if opposition is overruled. The accused deputies can defend themselves in Parliament. Afterward, a vote is held in Parliament, and if the majority votes to lift immunity then it is accepted.
