'Bar associations law undermines Turkey's unity'

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) – The recently passed bar associations law undermined Turkey's unity and integrity, claimed Turkey's main opposition leader on Tuesday.

Speaking to the Republican People's Party's (CHP) parliamentary group, Kemal Kilicdaroglu thanked his party's lawmakers for their active opposition to the bill during debates in the parliament.

"Objecting to this project, protecting Turkey's unity and integrity is a primary duty of the CHP, which carried out this duty," Kilicdaroglu said.

Kilicdaroglu criticized the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli for supporting the bill.

"I call on the conscience of nationalists and those who love their flag and county: Why did you favor this bill?" Kilicdaroglu asked.

He claimed that by backing the law the MHP betrayed its history.

Parliament last Saturday passed the law allowing the country's bar associations to split into smaller groups.

Ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party and MHP lawmakers backed the law, while all other opposition parties opposed it.

The CHP has said it will challenge the law in Turkey’s Constitutional Court.

Under the law, bar associations that have more than 5,000 members can split into other bar associations as long as they have at least 2,000 lawyers as members.

Each bar association in the provinces will be represented by three delegates and a president in the General Assembly of Union of Turkish Bar Associations.