Turkish opposition protests oath-taking at parliament

ANKARA (A.A) - July 6, 2011 – The ruling Justice & Development (AK) Party's group deputy chairman Mustafa Elitas has called on opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) MPs to quit protesting the oath-taking at Parliament.
We told them to stop persisting, and to take their oath and begin their work at Parliament, because July 15 is the deadline, Elitas told reporters on Tuesday.
Having won 135 seats in the recent general elections, CHP boycotted last week's swearing-in ceremony to protest a court ruling that refused to release doctor Mehmet Haberal and journalist Mustafa Balbay who were elected on CHP ticket on June 12 elections.
Elitas said that if CHP continued its stance of "not coming to Parliament for the next four years", Parliament Speaker's Office would have to make an assessment to stop the injustice towards 11 million electors who voted for CHP.
Deputies, who come to Parliament but don't take oath, will be considered "absent", said Elitas, adding that also if CHP deputies were not present in five sessions within a month, they would be accepted "absent".
When asked about debates on by-elections, Elitas said that conditions about by-elections were clear in Parliamentary bylaw and Constitution, adding that if five percent of seats at Parliament became vacant, by-elections could be held within three months.
According to Constitution, deputies, who don't attend five sessions in a month, are stripped off their seats, however, these deputies would have the right to defend themselves in joint commission and General Assembly, said Elitas.
Meanwhile, CHP Chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu told reporters after his party's group meeting that they would not give in to threats and blackmail.
We are ready to pay any cost for full implementation of human rights, universal laws, democracy, and the right to elect and be elected in Turkey, said Kilicdaroglu adding that they were struggling for democracy and human rights.
We are fighting for lifting of the obstacles before democracy and national will, he said.