国际英语新闻：Turkey's constitutional reforms pass referendum test

ANKARA, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- As Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced 58 percent of voters favored a government- backed constitutional amendment package in Sunday's referendum, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) passed a national test over both the reforms and its popularity.

"Today is a democratic festival for us," Erdogan told a press conference and supporters in the Turkish city Istanbul, live TV pictures showed. "Our nation has supported for the constitutional reforms by using their rights to vote. I hope this will be good for our country."

Meanwhile, the prime minister declared the country will immediately start to work on a new constitution.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan casts his ballot at a polling station in Istanbul on Sept. 12, 2010 during a referendum on constitutional changes. Erdogan announced Sunday Turks have approved the government-backed constitutional amendment package with 58 percent of votes in favor of the reforms in the referendum after 99 percent of votes were counted.

"Today the referendum is just a small step and a good start. From tomorrow, Sept. 13, we'll start working on a new constitution, " he said.

The current constitution of Turkey was the product of a military coup in 1980. The European Union (EU), which Ankara seeks to join, has urged the Turkish government to update it to expand civil rights and curb military power.

Proposed by Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP), the amendment package has been strongly criticized by opposition parties and the judiciary as an AKP attempt to seize more control over the judiciary and other state institutions.

The AKP says Turkey needs to change its current constitution to improve democracy and human rights to EU standards, while accusing the judiciary of blocking many of its bills.

The European Parliament Rapporteur for Turkey Ria Oomen-Ruijten on Sunday welcomed the approval of the amendments, saying the high participation rate showed adherence of the Turkish nation to the reforms.

Turkey should continue efforts for reforms and the government should work together with the opposition, she was quoted by the semi-official Anatolia news agency as saying.

With elections due next summer, the referendum is seen by analysts as a measure of public support for the AKP, which came in power in 2002 and seeks a third straight victory next year.