EU welcomes endorsement of reform package by court

The European Union, long supportive of a government constitutional reform package, yesterday welcomed Turkey's Constitutional Court largely vetting the package this week, while only striking down minor articles. In a statement, the EU Commission again praised the package as a step in the right direction. Angela Filote, spokeswoman of the commissioner for enlargement, said they will analyze the court's ruling in more detail after the full opinion is published. Stating that at first glance the ruling confined itself to a few minor elements of the package, such as the method for electing members of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), Filote said: "Following this ruling, we continue to believe that this reform package, which will go to a referendum on Sept. 12, is a positive step in the right direction as it addresses a number of longstanding shortcomings which the EU has identified over the years in progress reports."