Government ruins justice, high court fixes

The Constitutional Court’s landmark verdict on the Balyoz (Sledgehammer) coup case came only a few days after officials from Turkey and the European Union met at a working group meeting to allow the former to fulfill benchmarks for the opening of Chapter 23: Judiciary and fundamental rights.

European Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Füle had talks with senior Turkish officials, apart from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, over these issues, where they discussed Turkey’s shortcomings in the democratization process.

In his statement on Tuesday, Füle openly praised the role played by the Constitutional Court in recent months while calling on the government “to decisively engage with the EU on a comprehensive and credible reform process.”

“I welcome the role played by the Constitutional Court and its commitment to safeguard the rule of law and respect fundamental rights and freedoms, with the decisions to cancel the ban on Twitter and YouTube and amend controversial parts of legislation by the High Council of Prosecutors and Judges.

These actions taken by the Constitutional Court contribute to what is now really needed: Bringing confidence back to the judiciary and putting an end to the polarization and politicization of society. Here, all institutions have a role to play.”

Füle’s mentioning about the need to put an end to polarization and politicization in fact makes one of the most important urgings to the Turkish government, and particularly to Prime Minister Erdoğan. Speaking to European diplomats in Ankara, it become clear that almost all see Erdoğan and his policies as the main source of polarization, leading to tension that only produces more discomfort and...

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