ANKARA - The first two articles of the "multiple bar" bill which includes the regulation aiming to establish more than one bar in the same province passed by the Turkish Parliament by Tuesday night.

 

The parliament has passed two articles of the "Law Proposal for the Amendment of the Attorney's Act and Some Laws" proposed by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) which includes the regulation aiming to establish more than one bar in the same province. 

 

The bill has been massively protested by the bars and thousands of lawyers who say that it aims to decentralize the bar associations by permitting the establishment of alternative bar associations and to change the election system of the Turkey Bar Associations in a way to break the power of the bars.

 

The first articles approved by the Parliament is as follows:

 

* More than one bar can be established in the same province if certain conditions are met. If there is more than one bar association in the same province, the request to be registered at the bar can be made to any bar.

 

* If there is more than one bar in the same province, the second six-month part of the law internship will be held by a lawyer registered at the bar in which the internship was conducted.

 

Negotiations on the remaining articles will continue during Thursday.