Turkey- Turkish cabinet to gather under President Erdoan at Betepe for sixth time
(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) With rising security concerns due to attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) as well as the ongoing conflict between Turkey’s security forces and militants of the outlawedKurdistan Workers’ Party(PKK) PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdoanwill chair a cabinet meeting on May 2 the sixth one he has called since coming to power. Since being elected to his current post Erdoan has argued this is a constitutional right granted to any head of the Turkish state despite the fact it is usually the prime minister who holds such meetings. The southeastern province of Kilis will be high on the agenda since it has recently been hit multiple times by deadly rocket attacks carried out by ISIL over the last months prompting anxiety and anger on the part of local residents. Reports said the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government led by Prime MinisterAhmet Davutoluhas planned to present and discuss additional measures for Kilis during the May 2 meeting. Erdoan and the cabinet will also discuss progress surrounding a March 18 deal betweenAnkaraand theEuropean Unionto stop the influx of refugees intoEuropeas well as urban transformation plans for the rebuilding of certain districts in the southeast includingDiyarbakrprovince’s Sur district which was the scene of months-long clashes between security forces and thePKKmilitants. The EU executive branch the European Commission will present its third visa-liberalization progress report on May 4 and if Turkey fulfills all 72 criteria to bring the country into compliance with EU and international law a legislative proposal will be put forward to transfer the country to the visa-free list. Since being elected as president in August 2014 Erdoan has chaired cabinet meetings five times the first one being held on Jan. 19 2015. Most recently he hosted the cabinet members at the Betepe presidential complex on Feb. 22. Days before the Feb. 22 meeting Davutolu announced that Erdoan would be chairing cabinet meetings regularly from now on. Erdoan who chairs the bimonthly meetings of the National Security Council (MGK) bringing together top civilian and military leaders in his capacity as head of the state has since been chairing cabinet meetings once every two months. In the run-up to the presidential election in August 2014 which he won in the first round Erdoan repeatedly stated that the current constitution grants “executive power” to a president who comes to office via the popular vote just as the 1982 constitution granted “executive power” to 1980 coup leader Kenan Evren. Among the duties and powers relating to executive functions of the president Article 104 of the constitution lists “presiding over the Council of Ministers or calling the Council of Ministers to meet under his or her chairmanship whenever he or she deems it necessary.”
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