22/11/2014
Checks and Balances Network Meets with Vice President of the United States of America Joe Biden
The Checks and Balances Network (CBN), which consists of 185 civil society organizations that focuses on strengthening participatory and pluralistic democracy in Turkey, were invited to meet with Mr. Joe Biden, the Vice President of the United States of America, on November 22, 2014. “Checks and balances”, the principle for which the network was named in 2012, denotes a framework in which the executive, legislative and judicial branches clarify their roles and responsibilities and their relationship with one another. The framework also clarifies the expectations from media and civil society to inform the public and oversee accountability.
Biden, who met with 10 representatives of the network, stressed that the separation of powers among government branches could only be realized through the checks and balances system. He also stressed the importance of sustainable institutional and political reforms.
Network representative Fuat Keyman: “As we stressed repeatedly during our meeting with Mr. Vice President, as an entity that does not favor any specific political party, CBN plays an important role in strengthening the balance in the relationship among the legislative, executive and judicial branches, in promoting healthy relationships between local governments and the state, and a balanced relationship between citizens and the state. The network’s role is vital to both our country’s the prosperity and stability and that of the future of our region."
Network representative Hasan Seymen: “Mr. Vice President’s meeting with civil society organizations in various countries that represent different views coincides with what we hope to accomplish. As the Checks and Balances Network, we stand for meeting with decision makers more often and the participation of civil society organizations in decision-making processes. We shared with the Vice President that within our organization there are diverse views, yet at the end we find common ground in the principles of checks and balances, and that for this reason our slogan is “Thinking Differently, Solving Together.”
Network representative Selda Tandoğan Demirel: “Everyone is really curious about what we spoke about with Vice President Biden. Of course this meeting was really important. However, together we expressed the same views as we have been up till now and the same views which we will continue to express in the future: We are now UNITED to create a Turkey in which a strong ‘checks and balances system’ ensures an the rule of law, the administration’s public accountability and our rights and freedoms!”
During the meeting with Vice President Biden, the network representatives shared their goals and ideals for participatory and pluralistic democracy. After explaining why the checks and balances mechanism has been suggested as a model to carry Turkish democracy further, the representatives shared their suggestions to revise certain constitutional, legal and public processes relating to matters such as guaranteeing the protection of rights and freedoms, and reorganizing the relationship between citizen and the state.
The idea that a strong checks and balances system was needed to ensure the rights and freedoms of the public came to be as result of a series of discussions held by the Istanbul Policy Center and National Democratic Institute, which brought together different civil society organizations, political party representatives, members of the media, scholars and opinion leaders. 33 civil society organizations of different political views came together after said discussions and laid the foundations for a pluralistic network to promote democratic reforms in Turkey; the network then prepared a declaration of intent. The Checks and Balances Network is an independent and autonomous structure, whose 2012 declaration of intent is now endorsed by 185 civil society organizations – and the number continues to increase with each passing day.
You can access information on the activities, policy suggestions, structure and member organizations of the Checks and Balances Network here: www.birarada.org
Network Members attanded to the meeting:
Müjgan Suver on behalf of Marmara Grubu Vakfı; Berrin Sönmez on behalf of Başkent Kadın Platformu; Hasan Seymen on behalf of Kafkas Dernekleri Federasyonu; Murat Köylü on behalf of Kaos GL Derneği; Turan Hançerli on behalf of Türkiye Sakatlar Derneği; Sevna Somuncuoğlu on behalf of Türk Kadınlar Birliği; Mehmet Kaya on behalf of DİTAM / Dicle Toplumsal Araştırmalar Merkezi; Fuat Keyman on behalf of İstanbul Politikalar Merkezi; Süleyman Basa on behalf of İnternet Medya ve Bilişim Federasyonu; Kevser Selda Tandoğan Demirel on behalf of TOBB Kadın Girişimciler Kurulu Adıyaman Şubesi.
Committee of US Vice President attanded to the meeting:
Joe Biden, Vice President of USA; Victoria Nuland, Assistant Secretary; Michael Carpenter, VP Advisor; Colin Kahl, VP Advisor; Charles F. Hunter, Consul General; John Bass, US Ambassador.
