Turkey PM Offers to Freeze Disputed Judicial Reforms
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday offered to freeze several parts of a controversial justice reform bill in the face of widespread opposition.
The move comes as parliament was set for a possible vote later Friday on the legislation, which aims to exert greater government control of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutor.
Erdogan said while other articles of the bill would be voted on, he had now agreed to "freeze the part on the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors so that we can make progress because the elections are nearing".
The reforms, which would give the government a greater say over the appointment of judges and prosecutors, have been criticized by the opposition and the European Union for threatening the independence of the judiciary.
The leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, welcomed Erdogan's statement as a "very positive development".
Source: Agence France Presse
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