Mysterious Reform Package Disappoints Turks
The Turkish prime minister’s reform package has gotten mixed reactions.
Turkey has been waiting a long time for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to reveal his reform package. Its disclosure was postponed repeatedly because of the “detailed work” it required. Finally, Erdogan himself said he would reveal it on Monday, Sept. 30.
He also said that those who have been criticizing the package without seeing it would be embarrassed and that the package was full of surprises that no one would expect.
Naturally, with such remarks, the public's excitement swelled. But the contents of the much-speculated-on reform package were hidden behind a wall of secrecy. Apart from Erdogan and few others, no one among 76 million people in Turkey had the slightest clue what this package that concerns their fate was bringing.
Nothing was shared with the opposition parties or civil groups during the preparation of the package. Although the reform package was meant to advance democracy in Turkey and to increase the scope and number of democratic rights, its preparation was hardly democratic.
