World Bulletin / News Desk

Turkish main secularist opposition party clarified its proposal on army law criticized to pay the way for coups, keeping the article with little changes.

Notorious Article 35 of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) Internal Service Law effectively paves the way for the military to intervene in domestic affairs under certain circumstances and carry out coups.

Republican People's Party (CHP) proposed only "one sentence" change for the article, which it was expected to be abolished completely.

According to Okay, CHP proposal keeps the phrase of "The duty of the Armed Forces is protect the Turkish motherland and the Constitution" as it is, but adds the phrase of "in the framework of the parliamentary democratic system and subject to the Constitution."

However, last week CHP leader Kemal Kılıcdaroglu called on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is also the leader of the AK Party, to remove Article 35 to prove his sincerity about settling accounts with the perpetrators of the Sept. 12, 1980 coup d'état and its legacy.

Erdogan responded to the call positively and said politicians can set up a commission to consider abolishing the article and invite Parliament -- which is currently on summer recess -- to hold an extraordinary session to remove the article.



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