EP holds meeting to discuss Turkey

The European Parliament yesterday held a meeting to discuss recent issues in Turkey, ruling the ruling party closure case, secularism and the headscarf ban. Former Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP) leader Ufuk Uras and journalist Mehmet Ali Birand were guests of the gathering, which was held by the EP's Greens Group. At the meeting, Yilmaz said that unlike Christianity, Islam regulates social life, and so Turkey has to protect secularism and take measures to make sure its principles are internalized by the people. For his part, Uras said that in the last 40 years 24 parties have been closed down in Turkey, criticizing both the closings and the university headscarf ban. Birand said that continued discussion of secularism in Turkey showed the clumsiness of post-Ataturk politicians.