Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday the constitutional bill took the needs of Turkey into consideration.

Premier Erdogan, chairman of the Justice and Development (AK) Party, delivered a speech in his party's group meeting and said the constitutional amendment bill consisted of 26 articles, three of which were temporary.

Erdogan said the bill would pave the way for Turkey which was conducting EU accession talks and eager to be integrated in the world.

The opposition parties and nongovernmental organizations made some remarks on the amendments, he said. "We are open to every kind of constructive contribution," Erdogan said.

Delay of constitutional amendments to an uncertain date would waste Turkey's time, Erdogan said.

Noting that the Turkish nation wanted a modern and advanced democracy, Erdogan said, "I hope that the parliament would pass the bill without putting it to a referendum."

The bill aims to bring the right to collective bargaining for civil servants and the other public workers and tie closure of political parties to permission of a parliamentary committee, which is currently only under the authority of the Constitutional Court.

The government bill which aims to abolish the provisional article 15 of the constitution which prevents trial of generals who led the coup on September 12, 1980.

The bill also aims to enable trial of military personnel at civilian courts on charges of crimes they commit against security of the state and the constitutional order.

The bill wants to increase the number of members of the Constitutional Court to 19, also bringing arrangements to allow the parliament to elect members to the court.

The bill also paves the way for appeals to the decisions of the Supreme Military Council (YAS) at courts, which are currently outside of judiciary supervision.


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