Turkey's constitutional reforms pass referendum test
ANKARA. September 13. KAZINFORM As Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced 58 percent of voters favored a government- backed constitutional amendment package in Sunday's referendum, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) passed a national test over both the reforms and its popularity; Kazinform refers to Xinhua.
"Today is a democratic festival for us," Erdogan told a press conference and supporters in the Turkish city Istanbul, live TV pictures showed. "Our nation has supported for the constitutional reforms by using their rights to vote. I hope this will be good for our country."
Meanwhile, the prime minister declared the country will immediately start to work on a new constitution.
"Today the referendum is just a small step and a good start. From tomorrow, Sept. 13, we'll start working on a new constitution, " he said.
The current constitution of Turkey was the product of a military coup in 1980. The European Union (EU), which Ankara seeks to join, has urged the Turkish government to update it to expand civil rights and curb military power.
Proposed by Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP), the amendment package has been strongly criticized by opposition parties and the judiciary as an AKP attempt to seize more control over the judiciary and other state institutions; Kazinform cites Xinhua.
See www.xinhuanet.com/english2010/ for full version