PACE President Lluís Maria de Puig today welcomed the decision of Turkey’s Constitutional Court not to apply the extreme measure of closing down the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, but regretted its decision to partially deprive it of state aid. “Such a sanction risks introducing an element of discrimination with regard to a party which plays a key role on the Turkish political scene,” the President said. “Turkey can now regain political stability and step up urgently-needed economic and political reforms, including the elaboration of an altogether new, civilian constitution, in line with repeated Assembly calls. The Council of Europe, in particular through its Venice Commission, stands ready to help the Turkish government in such an endeavour.”