Turkish army statement sparks EU concern
RENATA GOLDIROVA
30.04.2007 @ 09:43 CET
The European Union has warned Turkey's military to stay out of politics and show respect for democracy, after the army indicated it could step into a political row over the country's next president to defend secular values.
"It's important that the military respects the rules of the democratic game and its own role in that democratic game," EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn said on Friday (27 April), in response to an army statement accusing the Turkish government of turning the country's path from a secular order toward Islamic ideology.
The turmoil came after foreign minister Abdullah Gul announced he would continue running for president, despite having failed to win sufficient support in the first parliamentary ballot on Friday (27 April).
Mr Gul - a presidential candidate of the Islamic-rooted Justice and Development (AK) party, currently in the country's driving seat - is seen by some as being too loyal to his religious beliefs, with his opponents pointing out that Mr Gul's wife and daughter wear headscarves.
In addition, if Mr Gul is elected the president, the AK party will control the presidential position, the government as well as the parliament.
"It is observed that some circles who have been carrying out endless efforts to disturb the fundamental values of the Republic of Turkey, especially secularism, have increased their efforts recently," Turkey's general staff said in a statement on Friday (27 April).
It went on to say "the Turkish Armed Forces are concerned about the recent situation. It should not be forgotten that the Turkish Armed Forces are a party in those arguments, and the absolute defenders of secularism."
Mass protests
Hundreds of thousands of people took to the street of Istanbul on Sunday (29 April) - also in support of secularism, waving pictures of the father of the Turkish Republic, Kemal Ataturk, and shouting "Turkey is secular and will remain secular."
The army's sharply-worded statement has revived memories of Turkey's four military coups during the past 50 years.
"It is important that the military leaves the remit of democracy to the democratically-elected government and this is a test case if the Turkish armed forces respect democratic secularism and the democratic arrangement of civil-military relations," EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn said.
Germany - currently at the EU's helm - also issued a statement, saying that the elections "should not be influenced by external pressure."
"It [the presidency] expects all those responsible in the political sphere to play their part in ensuring that the presidential elections are carried out in accordance with the principles of democracy and the rule of law laid down in the constitution."
EU ambitions
Any military involvement would severely damage the EU ambitions of Turkey, currently in negotiations to join the 27-nation bloc. Civilian control over the armed forces is one of the EU's fundamental accession criteria.
But some say that the army's message is addressed mainly to judges in the constitutional court, which is to rule whether Friday's first parliamentary vote was valid or not.
The secularist opposition boycotted the ballot and is now challenging its validity in the constitutional court. The annulment of the vote would pave the way for early elections.
A second round of presidential voting is due on Wednesday (2 May), with the court expected to rule on the appeal before this vote.
