Turkey: Elected MPs to be sworn in on Saturday

By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun

ANKARA

Elected parliament members will be sworn in at the Turkish Grand National Assembly on Saturday, two weeks after the June 24 elections.

Parliament rules and regulations stipulate that elected deputies are to be sworn in three days after the Supreme Board of Election chairman announces the official results.

Since chairman Sadi Guven has presented the official results of the June 24 elections on Wednesday, lawmakers are to be sworn in on Saturday.

Since the day after the elections, elected deputies have started to receive their mandates from the election committees of their districts.

The oldest deputy -- Deniz Baykal, from the Republican People's Party's (CHP), who is to turn 80 years old soon -- is to chair the oath-taking ceremony.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be sworn in for the first time under the new executive system on Monday July 9. He is then expected to announce the new gorvernment cabinet, ushering in the presidential system.

The presidential oath-taking ceremony will be held at 4.00 p.m. local time (1300GMT) at parliament in the capital Ankara, sources said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Later, a ceremony will be held at the presidential complex to mark the country’s transition to the presidential system of government.

The June 24 vote marked Turkey's transition to an executive presidential system of government, doing away with the prime minister's post, among other changes.