President's authority to dismiss officers on Parliament's agenda: CHP opposes

CHP Kayseri Deputy Aşkın Genç reacted to a provision in a legislative proposal submitted by the AKP to the Speaker of Parliament today, which would allow for the dismissal of officers between the ranks of lieutenant and colonel by presidential decree. Genç said, "A short time ago, 5 of our lieutenants were dismissed from the army because they said, 'We are soldiers of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.' Who can guarantee that the same thing won't happen again? This is one of the greatest insults that can be made to the glorious Turkish army, the army that founded the Republic of Turkey. Withdraw this law while there is still time."

The AKP submitted a legislative proposal to the Speaker of Parliament today that reorganizes provisions previously annulled by the Constitutional Court. The fourth article of the proposal stipulates that the President may issue a dismissal decision for officers between the ranks of lieutenant and colonel deemed appropriate, on the grounds of indiscipline.

CHP Kayseri Deputy Aşkın Genç also reacted to the fourth article of the proposal in a statement. The statement by Genç, who demanded the withdrawal of the proposal, is as follows:

"Today, the AK Party has once again sent an omnibus bill to Parliament. They are reimposing a law that the Constitutional Court annulled last year. They can dismiss any military officer between the rank of lieutenant and colonel by presidential decree.

We criticized this last year as well, and the Constitutional Court also opposed it. The position of a glorious Turkish soldier between the rank of lieutenant and colonel cannot be left to the whim of a President.

As you know, a short time ago, 5 of our lieutenants were dismissed from the army because they said, 'We are soldiers of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.' Who can guarantee that the same thing won't happen again? This is one of the greatest insults that can be made to the glorious Turkish army, the army that founded the Republic of Turkey. Withdraw this law while there is still time."