The Turkish President Abdullah Gul has approved the judiciary bill restructuring the country's top judicial board which governs the affairs of judges and prosecutors on Wednesday.
Gul signed into law a bill on the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), and said that the Constitutional Court will review the controversial points.
The President also said in a statement that he asked for an examination of the bill and noted that 15 elements in 12 articles were incompatible with the Constitution and warned the Justice minister about it.
He also emphasized that the Constitutional Court would have the last word on the bill.
The law gives more rights to the Justice Minister over the judicial body, and allows the undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice to be elected as Chairman to the HSYK. The HSYK Inspection Council now operates on behalf of the board under the governance of the Justice minister and the Justice Minister will be given the power to appoint the president and the vice president of the inspection board.
In addition, the existing tenures of the secretary general, deputy secretary-generals, inspection board presidents, and inspection board vice-presidents, inspectors, investigating judges and administrative staff will end. New holders of these positions will be appointed by the justice minister within 10 days.
The bill, which caused tension between Turkey's leading political parties when it was proposed, was submitted to President Abdullah Gul for ratification on February 18.
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