Gov't to take action on immunities regardless of CHP's answer

The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government will make a move to lift immunity from deputies regardless of whether the Republican People's Party (CHP) gives a positive or negative answer to the proposal, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said on Wednesday.

Answering questions at a joint press conference with Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipilä, Davutoğlu said his party's stance on the issue is clear and the government will take action at once, regardless of the CHP's answer, which is due today.

"The CHP's proposal will arrive tomorrow. Whether it is positive or negative, we will take action at once, and no one should have any doubts about our determination on this issue," he said. Explaining that he provided the necessary instructions to prevent any delays on the issue of lifting parliamentary immunities, Davutoğlu said: "Our stance on the issue of immunities is clear."

Davutoğlu had proposed in mid-March that Parliament should lift immunity from prosecution for all lawmakers and collectively review the 506 outstanding dossiers. With the dossiers waiting at the Justice Ministry and the prime ministry, the number of motions in Parliament is expected to reach 550.

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Group Deputy Chairman Oktay Vural had also said that his party is in favor of lifting the immunities of all deputies except for those at the podium. The MHP, however, voiced support for lifting the immunities of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputies who are accused of supporting terror.