Turkey - country visit - opinion on the draft Law on the High Council for Judges and Prosecutors
25/11/2010 - 26/11/2010
Ankara - Within the context of the constitutional reform in Turkey which came into force with the referendum of 12 September 2010, the Venice Commission was requested to prepare opinions on draft laws that are a part of the implementation of the constitutional amendments package. The first of these is the draft Law on the High Council for Judges and Prosecutors and the Venice Commission will therefore prepare an opinion on this draft Law first.
The opinion on the draft Law on the High Council for Judges and Prosecutors will be discussed and should be adopted by the Venice Commission at its plenary session on 17-18 December 2010.
In order to obtain more background information on this draft Law and on the other draft laws that make up the implementation of the constitutional amendments package, a delegation of the Venice Commission will be travelling to Ankara to meet with major stakeholders in the country on 25-26 November 2010.
The Venice Commission delegation is composed of:
• Thomas Markert, Director, Secretary of the Venice Commission,
• Sergio Bartole, Italian substitute member,
• Harry Gstöhl, Liechtenstein member,
• Wolfgang Hoffmann-Riem, German member,
• Fredrik Sejersted, Norwegian substitute member,
• Bert Maan, expert for the Legal and Human Rights Capacity Building Department of the Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs of the Council of Europe and
• Tanja Gerwien, legal officer of the Venice Commission.
Meetings are planned with the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Cassation, President of the Constitutional Court, President of the Council of State, President of the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors and representatives of the Turkish Bar Association. Meetings will also be organised with political parties.