Baykal: "The court ruling identified the problem but left it unsolved"

The Constitutional Court identified the problem but left it unsolved, said main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday on the ruling not to close the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) but to impose a financial penalty on it instead. "Almost all the court's members found that the AKP became a focal point of anti-secular acts," he said. "This is a decision that will have important consequences for our political life, democratic regime and the Constitution." He said that the AKP should clearly show a convincing and confidence-building transformation of the main principles of the republic. Baykal said that the court hoped that the ruling party could overcome the current crisis through making the right decisions, adding that the whole country shares this wish. He said the AKP should work hard to save the country from its current crisis and shouldn't be afraid to criticize itself.