Cemil

A delegation from the European Parliament Foreign Relations Committee headed by Elmar Brok had talks in the Turkish capital Ankara on March 17, seeking ways to update the Customs Union to protect Turkey's interests over the EU's free trade agreements with third parties.

Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek has bid to de-escalate the high tension at parliament between ruling party and opposition deputies, after the debate on a bill aimed at cracking down on violent demonstrations descended into a brawl and five MPs were injured late on Feb. 17.

Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek has submitted his own draft law to improve the personal benefits of lawmakers, after failing to create a consensus between the political parties.

Speaking to daily Hürriyet, Çiçek underlined on Feb. 13 that his draft did not outline any new ?financial favors? for lawmakers.

This week, Jan. 27 was International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It was the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz exterminatiom camp by Soviet soldiers. It was also a historic day for Turkey since for the first time its capital, Ankara, hosted a Holocaust commemoration ceremony.

Israel accused Turkey's parliamentary speaker Jan. 28 of "misusing" a Holocaust commemoration to criticize Israeli policy, the latest exchange in a bitter row between the former allies.

Turkish Parliamentary Speaker Cemil Çiçek has issued a veiled yet public call for four ex-minister accused of corruption to be tried at the country's Supreme Council, arguing that it would benefit the nation and the quartet if they were absolved by the top court.

Terrorism is harming Islam the same way it is harming people in our region, Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek said Dec. 25.

Çiçek made the remarks during his meeting with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and his delegation in the Turkish capital of Ankara.

The Turkish government has categorically closed the door on the involvement of any third party in the peace process, which it labels as its brainchild.

No terrorist organization would be able to survive on its own without international support, Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek has suggested, accusing the world of "hypocrisy" in the fight against terrorism.

Parliamentary Speaker Cemil Çiçek has once more stressed the need to boost efforts for a new Constitution, which has been on a standstill since 2013