EU’s Swoboda: Civilian Authorities Should Be Empowered

Referring to the importance of civilian will in society, Swoboda said: "Civilian authorities should be empowered to protect society and individual rights. Thus you will be not only be European; you will also be at the same level with EU member countries and EU members." Swoboda was speaking at the First International Symposium of Constitutional Law held by parliament during which the tasks and authority of both the National Security Council (MGK) and the parliament were discussed at length.

Stressing that the structure of the MGK was so different that it could not even be compared to security councils in European countries, Swoboda said: "Security councils in Europe have no rights other than to make recommendations to the Defense Ministry. But in Turkey, the chief of general staff is more influential than the defense minister at MGK meetings. I have never completely understood the army’s role in Turkey. The army has too much responsibility in Turkey, so it has authority over the civilian administration. If there is a military attack, of course, it should be responded to in a military sense; however, debates, expressions of opinion, individual endeavors or individual rebels that do not require the army to solve the problem. The organizations should solve these issues themselves."

aa / Ankara / TURKEY