North Cyprus Law | TRNC Constitutional Amendments

 North Cyprus Law – TRNC Constitutional Amendments

According to Yeni Duzen newspaper (03.06.14) the TRNC Assembly approved a draft law regarding TRNC Constitutional Amendments. They agreed on 23 articles which they will vote on, on Thursday. The new constitution will then be submitted to referendum on 29 June, in parallel with the municipality elections, once approved by TRNC President Dervis Eroglu.

There was disagreement about a provision saying that the the TRNC courts would have to take into consideration the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Also, the DP-UG and the UBP parties did not accept the inclusion of an article regarding the minority rights and therefore the article did not pass in spite of the support of the ruling CTP-BG along with TDP.  A TDP proposal regarding conscientious objection was not discussed and was not included in the new constitution because only the CTP supported it.

The parties agreed that if MPs and their families do not declare their wealth, then they will not be able to take the oath and become MPs. They also agreed on the following:

  1. The establishment of children’s courts and children’s jails;
  2. The lifting of the ban on civil servants participating in politics;
  3. The partial lifting of the immunity of the MPs if they commit a crime that would result in a severe punishment;
  4. The election of  an Ombudsman by the assembly;
  5. The termination by the High Administrative Court of the duties of local administration organs if, upon an application by the Attorney General and the Court of Auditors, it is established that they have caused damage to the municipality.

In all, the parties agreed on 19 amendments, four new articles and one transitional article.

Deputy Prime Minister, Serdar Denktas, said that binding the police to a non-military authority was not possible as long as the Cyprus negotiations continue as the presence of the army was necessary until the negotiations were completed.

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