New constitution should strengthen gains in democratization in past 200 years, says President Gul

ANKARA (AA) - April 25, 2012 - Turkish President Abdullah Gul on Wednesday said that constitutions should not be prepared with reactionary motives. Turkish President Abdullah Gul on Wednesday said that the new Turkish constitution should strengthen gains in democratization in the past 200 years.Speaking at an international symposium held as part of celebrations on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Constitutional Court in Ankara, President Gul said that there should be no concessions made from the basic principles of the Republic such as democracy, secularism and being a state of law. The new constitution should not forget that the state exists to serve its nation, Gul stressed. We can not talk about justice where rights and freedoms of individuals are not taken under assurance Gul said that "we can not talk about justice in a system where the rights and freedoms of individuals were not taken under assurance". Speaking at an international symposium held as part of celebrations on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Constitutional Court in Ankara, President Gul said that the merit of law appears only if it provides for the manifestation of justice. Constitutions should not be prepared with reactionary motives Turkish President Abdullah Gul on Wednesday said that constitutions should not be prepared with reactionary motives. Speaking at an international symposium held as part of celebrations on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Constitutional Court in Ankara, President Gul said that those constitutions which try to correct the mistakes of the past can not carry societies forward. Constitutions should not carry the marks of any ideas, political parties, ideologies and doctrines, Gul stressed. We should not forget that a constitutional law that can protect us from our own power can also protect us from injustice if we do get weak, Gul stressed. For the first time since the constitutions of 1921 and 1924, the Turkish nation has an opportunity to write a constitution with input from the nation, Gul indicated.