CHP, TBB not to appear at Turkey's judicial year opening amid impartiality row

Turkey's main opposition party and the Union of Bar Associations (TBB) will not participate in this year's ceremony for the opening of the judicial year on Sept. 1, complaining that it will undermine the separation of powers as it will be held at the presidential palace in Ankara. 

The decision comes despite a last minute call from Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım for them to change their mind.

The opening of the judicial year will be held for the first time at the presidential palace with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the heads of supreme justice bodies, Prime Minister Yıldırım, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar and representatives from different justice organizations. 

The ceremonies of the judicial year in the past were held at the premises of the Supreme Court of Appeals and political party leaders were not allowed to deliver statements at the event.

But this year's decision to hold it at the presidential palace and Erdoğan's expected address to the participants drew reactions from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the TBB, who are among invitees of the ceremonies.

"Our chairman will not participate in the ceremony," CHP spokeswoman Selin Sayek Böke told reporters on Aug. 31 after a party meeting. 

CHP head Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and TTB head Metin Feyzioğlu had already announced that they would not be present at the event, on the grounds that holding the event at the presidential palace would undermine judicial independence. The two met in a bilateral meeting on Aug. 31 in order to discuss the issue.
 

PM called on both to change mind

The announcement that neither of them would join the event came hours after...