Council of state elects new president

Mustafa Birden was elected the new president of the top administrative court of Turkey --Council of State, yesterday. Birden was elected with the votes of 50 court members. Sumru Cortoglu, the chairperson of Turkey's Council of State, retired due to the age limit on May 13. Birden, married with 2 children, was elected as administrative court member in 1994 and president of the 2nd Chamber in 2002. He was injured in the attack to the Council of State building on May 17th, 2006, in which Mustafa Yucel Ozbilgin, member of the 2nd chamber was killed. Speaking to reporters following its election, Birden said that principles and revolutions of great leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic, will be the sole directory of their duties.