Gov't fulfills all election pledges, majority of reforms in first 3 months
As of Tuesday, March 22, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government has fulfilled 100 percent of its election pledges and 50 percent of its promised reforms since the new government was formed on Nov. 24. All the reforms and pledges that were promised to be fulfilled in the first three months of the new government were completed with the submission of the new omnibus bill to Parliament.
The government is expected to continue the reform process in Parliament after the completion of the 2016 budget talks. Parliament will prioritize the Protection of Personal Data Bill and the establishment of the Law Enforcement Monitoring Commission. The Political Ethics Law, new legislation regarding the Alevi and Roma communities, Turkey's Human Rights and Equality Institution Bill, as well as an important adjustment to the Victim's Rights Bill, all are expected to be taken up in Parliament in the coming weeks. The Political Ethics Law aims to inject transparency, accountability, objectivity and honesty into Turkish politics, by taking international models as an example. Major reforms to the Turkish Political Law are also expected.
Legal arrangement to provide legal status to Alevi cemevis, the houses of worship for the Alevi community, will also be discussed in Parliament. For years, public recognition of Alevi identity, institutions and the legal status of cemevis have been common requests made by a variety of groups from the Alevi community. Even though cemevis are recognized as houses of religious worship and house the rituals carried out by the minority Alevi religious community, so far they have not had legal status equivalent to that of mosques, churches or synagogues. As part of the government's 2016 action plan, reforms for basic rights and freedoms will include providing legal status to cemevis and address other needs.
Another reform expected to be discussed in the coming days addresses the concerns of Roma citizens. During previous AK Party governments, Davutoğlu appointed Roma Turkish citizen Metin Özçeri as an adviser with aims to reach out to Roma communities in Turkey. Recently, Turkey's first Roma TV station started broadcasting with the aim to raising awareness and deterring prejudice against the Roma community.
Related reforms will address concerns about education, employment and housing for the Roma community, and the relevant government institutions will conduct further moves to try to eliminate racism in society. The government is planning to establish a general directorate under the Family and Social Policies Ministry to deal with issues concerning Roma citizens. The Roma population will have an office to directly apply to address their issues. A special institution under the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities will be established to provide better services for the Roma population.
Sources from the AK Party have said that the current government's program was established in "a reformist spirit" and is based on the concepts behind the new EU legal strategy for reform, transition and communication. The government aims to pass 96 laws, 285 secondary regulations and establish 159 administrative structures by 2019.
The government is expected to continue the reform process in Parliament after the completion of the 2016 budget talks. Parliament will prioritize the Protection of Personal Data Bill and the establishment of the Law Enforcement Monitoring Commission. The Political Ethics Law, new legislation regarding the Alevi and Roma communities, Turkey's Human Rights and Equality Institution Bill, as well as an important adjustment to the Victim's Rights Bill, all are expected to be taken up in Parliament in the coming weeks. The Political Ethics Law aims to inject transparency, accountability, objectivity and honesty into Turkish politics, by taking international models as an example. Major reforms to the Turkish Political Law are also expected.
Legal arrangement to provide legal status to Alevi cemevis, the houses of worship for the Alevi community, will also be discussed in Parliament. For years, public recognition of Alevi identity, institutions and the legal status of cemevis have been common requests made by a variety of groups from the Alevi community. Even though cemevis are recognized as houses of religious worship and house the rituals carried out by the minority Alevi religious community, so far they have not had legal status equivalent to that of mosques, churches or synagogues. As part of the government's 2016 action plan, reforms for basic rights and freedoms will include providing legal status to cemevis and address other needs.
Another reform expected to be discussed in the coming days addresses the concerns of Roma citizens. During previous AK Party governments, Davutoğlu appointed Roma Turkish citizen Metin Özçeri as an adviser with aims to reach out to Roma communities in Turkey. Recently, Turkey's first Roma TV station started broadcasting with the aim to raising awareness and deterring prejudice against the Roma community.
Related reforms will address concerns about education, employment and housing for the Roma community, and the relevant government institutions will conduct further moves to try to eliminate racism in society. The government is planning to establish a general directorate under the Family and Social Policies Ministry to deal with issues concerning Roma citizens. The Roma population will have an office to directly apply to address their issues. A special institution under the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities will be established to provide better services for the Roma population.
Sources from the AK Party have said that the current government's program was established in "a reformist spirit" and is based on the concepts behind the new EU legal strategy for reform, transition and communication. The government aims to pass 96 laws, 285 secondary regulations and establish 159 administrative structures by 2019.
Last Update: March 22, 2016 22:23