By Haroon Baloch
February 25, 2011
Turkey, about two decades past, was as striving an economy as Pakistan right now, but due to its commitment to its nation and prolonged democratic political spell, Turkey stands among G-20 member states today. In fact, Turkey has attained the status of 15th largest economy of the world with GDP levels almost tripled to USD 618 billion in 2009, up from USD 231 billion in 2002, while GDP per capita soared to USD 8,590, up from USD 3,500 in the given period.
Turkish economy has been flourishing leaps and bounds, as Turk Government in general and AK Party (Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi) a.k.a. conservative Justice and Development Party in particular, have extensively focused on currency reforms, housing projects, social security and healthcare, support for SMEs, foreign policy for Africa & Near East, logistic, tax, educational, and tourism reforms, whereby it has reshaped post 2002 and Turkey has rapidly jumped into top 20 progressive economies’ slot.
Turkish economy no doubt can be a well-settled model for Pakistan. But while ground realities are far similar to Pakistan, simultaneously circumstances are different as well.
Turkey also underwent army coup and had struggled for almost 18 years to get rid of military devised constitution, whilst it was Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his relatively conservative party AK Party whose roots are in Islam, which advocates for liberal market economy and Turkish membership in European Union, took the initiative for campaigning against the dictator’s given constitution of 1982. After long untiring efforts, in September 2010, Turkish Constitutional Referendum was held, wherein 58% of Turks supported the AK Party’s constitutional amendments against 42% negating it.
Recent referendum also sensed the upshots of forthcoming 2011 General Elections in Turkey where AK Party is aspiring to succeed the third consecutive time reasoning major economic reforms brought by Recep Tayyip Erdogan. AK Party post-constitutional referendum also pledged for major constitutional reforms after winning the General Elections 2011.
A purely secular society of Turkey where conservatism and liberalism survive parallel always yearned to be declared as part of the European Union. Current ruling party was given the status of an observer member in European People’s Party (EPP) of EU and is expected to become full member of EPP if EU admits Turkey’s membership.
It is one of the notions among the analysts that if Turkey is not given EU membership by ruining all efforts of AK Party, it may again split into two: the reformists and conservatives factions, which may ignite another phase of political turmoil in Turkey. Since army has always remained the major claimant to protect the secularism of Turkey, it is in search of the Achilles’ heel of AK Party to topple its regime.
Tussle between Turkish military and courts with AK Party has remained more evident during both regimes of AK Party. In recent days, another verdict by a military court in Turkey surprised the government when the Military High Administrative Court (MHAC) rejected the petitions filed by Defense and Interior ministries to revisit the verdict of Supreme Military Council against promotions of three senior commanders for their alleged involvement in a coup plan, Sledgehammer.
Since August 2010, promotions of these three commanders including an admiral turned into a Gordian’s knot because government had suspended them following the article 65 of Turkish Armed Forces Law (TAFL) that states as member of the military who is imprisoned or being tried cannot be promoted.
Earlier in September 2010, the three commanders submitted an appeal against government’s decision in Supreme Military Council, which issued a stay of government’s decision, and later in December 2010, the final verdict of court endorsed the promotions of the three commanders. The AK Party’s government re-appealed the court to revisit its decision, but on 18th February 2011, Military High Administrative Court Chambers Council convened to discuss the requests and come out to stand with its previous decision.
The only option left to end this showdown between AK Party’s government and Turk Military is for Premier Tayyip Erdogan to use maximum authority and retire these three commanders.
The Military High Administrative Court’s decision in favor of commanders is likely to reopen the debate on the legitimacy of military court which was founded by the military junta on March 12, 1971, and which was later in 1982’s Constitution drafted by coup leaders confirmed as a constitutional body.
Upcoming general elections in Turkey are crucial though it is broadly believed that AK Party will come in power again for the next term as well. AK Party has already hinted at major constitutional reforms that have raised many ifs and buts among many circles, especially after the decision of a military court against the conservative AK Party.
(For original publishing, please visit: http://www.weeklypulse.org/details.aspx?contentID=283&storylist=2)
Turkey also underwent army coup and had struggled for almost 18 years to get rid of military devised constitution, whilst it was Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his relatively conservative party AK Party whose roots are in Islam, which advocates for liberal market economy and Turkish membership in European Union, took the initiative for campaigning against the dictator’s given constitution of 1982. After long untiring efforts, in September 2010, Turkish Constitutional Referendum was held, wherein 58% of Turks supported the AK Party’s constitutional amendments against 42% negating it.
Recent referendum also sensed the upshots of forthcoming 2011 General Elections in Turkey where AK Party is aspiring to succeed the third consecutive time reasoning major economic reforms brought by Recep Tayyip Erdogan. AK Party post-constitutional referendum also pledged for major constitutional reforms after winning the General Elections 2011.
A purely secular society of Turkey where conservatism and liberalism survive parallel always yearned to be declared as part of the European Union. Current ruling party was given the status of an observer member in European People’s Party (EPP) of EU and is expected to become full member of EPP if EU admits Turkey’s membership.
It is one of the notions among the analysts that if Turkey is not given EU membership by ruining all efforts of AK Party, it may again split into two: the reformists and conservatives factions, which may ignite another phase of political turmoil in Turkey. Since army has always remained the major claimant to protect the secularism of Turkey, it is in search of the Achilles’ heel of AK Party to topple its regime.
Tussle between Turkish military and courts with AK Party has remained more evident during both regimes of AK Party. In recent days, another verdict by a military court in Turkey surprised the government when the Military High Administrative Court (MHAC) rejected the petitions filed by Defense and Interior ministries to revisit the verdict of Supreme Military Council against promotions of three senior commanders for their alleged involvement in a coup plan, Sledgehammer.
Since August 2010, promotions of these three commanders including an admiral turned into a Gordian’s knot because government had suspended them following the article 65 of Turkish Armed Forces Law (TAFL) that states as member of the military who is imprisoned or being tried cannot be promoted.
Earlier in September 2010, the three commanders submitted an appeal against government’s decision in Supreme Military Council, which issued a stay of government’s decision, and later in December 2010, the final verdict of court endorsed the promotions of the three commanders. The AK Party’s government re-appealed the court to revisit its decision, but on 18th February 2011, Military High Administrative Court Chambers Council convened to discuss the requests and come out to stand with its previous decision.
The only option left to end this showdown between AK Party’s government and Turk Military is for Premier Tayyip Erdogan to use maximum authority and retire these three commanders.
The Military High Administrative Court’s decision in favor of commanders is likely to reopen the debate on the legitimacy of military court which was founded by the military junta on March 12, 1971, and which was later in 1982’s Constitution drafted by coup leaders confirmed as a constitutional body.
Upcoming general elections in Turkey are crucial though it is broadly believed that AK Party will come in power again for the next term as well. AK Party has already hinted at major constitutional reforms that have raised many ifs and buts among many circles, especially after the decision of a military court against the conservative AK Party.
(For original publishing, please visit: http://www.weeklypulse.org/details.aspx?contentID=283&storylist=2)
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