European report on Turkey's constitutional change reform unfair: Justice minister

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ criticized yesterday a European report on Turkey's upcoming referendum for a constitutional amendment.

In a post on his official Twitter account, Bozdağ said the report proves that the Venice Commission of Council of Europe was "siding with 'no' voters" in the April 16 referendum.

"The report is not fair, objective, unbiased and technical, but completely political and subjective," Bozdağ said, adding that it lacked value for Turkey.

A delegation from the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe visited Turkey last month to speak with Turkish officials about the plans for constitutional amendments that would give wide-ranging executive powers to the president.

"The Venice Commission or any other international organization will never influence the free will of the Turkish people," Bozdağ wrote yesterday.

"Anyone who takes the Venice Commission report as reference cannot have a correct opinion about the constitutional amendments in Turkey," he said.

The Venice Commission is composed of constitutional experts and advises the Council of Europe, of which Turkey is a member. The constitutional changes have been discussed since Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was voted president in August 2014. The 18-article bill was passed by Parliament in January, with 339 votes in favor - nine more than needed to put the proposal to a referendum.