Insinuating remarks uttered by Öymen and the gang at the 63rd meeting of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee accused Today’s Zaman of publishing biased and misleading information, an allegation that we cannot take lightly.
With all due respect to the CHP, I beg to differ. This sounds like quite a classic case of shifting blame on others while you yourself are at fault. It is easy to charge forward with false accusations when something goes wrong or when you have a real image problem. You blame the media, as many politicians in Turkey or in other countries often do in such a situation.
I suggest Öymen and the gang put their house in order first. Instead of trying to revise party policies according to the rhetoric of being an EU advocate, the CHP has often taken a position against draft reform bills in Parliament. The most recent example was their petitioning the Constitutional Court to annul -- despite previously voting for it -- a new law allowing civilian courts to try military staff for major crimes. They got their wish and the top court nullified the bill. The bill was highly commended by the EU as a step forward in bringing civilian-military ties in line with EU norms.
Actions undoubtedly refute the words and statements of CHP deputies who present the party as being an EU proponent. As the saying goes, the CHP can talk the talk, but cannot walk the walk. That is why most EU ambassadors and diplomats here in Ankara seem to have lost their faith in the CHP. They see quite plainly that the party, at every opportunity it gets, resorts to obstructionist policies in the progress of harmonizing laws on the path to EU membership. We are now hearing similar statements echo in the halls of Brussels and Strasbourg, a situation which apparently upsets CHP deputies.
When we report how the CHP manages to get in the way, Öymen and the gang get furious and blame Today’s Zaman for the CHP’s own poor track record in the democratization reform process. I remember that my first visit last year as the new head of Today’s Zaman’s Ankara bureau was to Öymen’s office. We spoke for over an hour in a candid and honest discussion during which many issues, including the party’s EU position, came up. I made the point that the CHP should be pushing for reforms more than any other party in Turkey. He agreed, but countered with the claim that the CHP had taken many steps towards the EU goal. The claim holds water in the 2003-2004 period, but not beyond.
Moreover, I do not remember hearing a single criticism of Today’s Zaman at the meeting. Rather, he praised how well the paper was written both in terms of the command of the English language and the quality of the editorial content. “You apparently have very talented and highly skilled staff at Today’s Zaman,” he had remarked.
In many articles that appear in Today’s Zaman, we try to give a voice to main opposition party deputies. This is part of our long-held editorial policy, which ensures balanced and fair reporting. Believe it or not, Öymen was in fact the most often quoted CHP deputy in our reports if you go back and check our older issues. Ironically, he was quoted in Today’s Zaman on the same day as he lashed out at the paper in Brussels.
Ali Aslan Kılıç, our parliamentary bureau chief, called him to inquire about the CHP’s stance on the legal reform package. In an article published on page six yesterday, Öymen told Today’s Zaman that the government was waging war against the judiciary. We used his exact words, quoted, in that article, which also featured the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) views as articulated by AK Party parliamentary group Deputy Chairman Bekir Bozdağ.
Therefore, it makes no sense for Öymen to complain to EP deputies about only reading some newspapers. Had Europeans been reading Today’s Zaman, they would have been paying attention to what Öymen was saying as well because it was reported there. And for the record, we have offered an exclusive full-page interview to CHP leader Deniz Baykal as well. He has yet to agree to give an interview to Today’s Zaman. His office has never returned our calls asking for an explanation. The burden of proof is on the CHP’s shoulders, and they should convince EU skeptics by taking courageous steps down the right path.
