Referendum to be Held in April, Says PM Yıldırım

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Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has said that the constitutional amendment referendum will be held in the first half of April.

Speaking at Justice and Development Party (AKP) Provincial Chairs Meeting, Yıldırım said that exact date will be announced by the Supreme Election Board (YSK) in the upcoming days.

“[The referendum] will be held in April at an appropriate date until [April] 20. The YSK will announced the exact date within this this week”.

“No joint campaign”

PM Yıldırım also stated that they won’t act together with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) on the field.

“There is no joint campaign with the MHP, we will have a good campaign in coordination with our president [Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]”.

“Deputies’ authorities will increase”

In response to allegations that parliament’s effectiveness will diminish with the constitutional amendment, PM Yıldırım said:

“[Deputies will have the rights of] general meeting, written parliamentary inquiry, making law, trying the president, accounting the ministers. In fact, parliament’s authority in increasing. Why? Parliament will designate an administrative body at the head of the jurisdiction, a portion will be designated by the President and Parliament. What is Parliament, President? They are both bodies elected by the nation’s will.

“Essentially, in the present system, the Parliament does whatever the governing party tells, we don’t need to fool each other.

“But in the new system, every deputy will be able to submit a law draft with their legal entity. Deputies’ authorities are increasing.

“Therefore, all these things said are totally baseless, unfounded, and directed to confuse people’s minds”. (YY/TK)