İstanbul-Turkey (CNN) -- Turkey`s Constitutional Court has annulled key parts of a package of government-backed constitutional reforms, reports say. The court rejected an opposition appeal to scrap all of the measures, and said the remaining elements would be put to a referendum as planned.The court annulled changes which would curb the power of the judiciary and the army, AFP news agency said. The ruling AKP says the reforms are necessary if Turkey is to join the EU. But the nationalist opposition and senior judges are against measures they say would threaten the independence of the courts. There is a gulf of mistrust between the AKP and the two secular opposition parties, the CHP and MHP, says the BBC`s Jonathan Head in Istanbul. The CHP believes the AKP has a hidden agenda to weaken the secular system and promote Islamic values. The AKP says it is challenging an authoritarian system, which restricts individual rights and compromises Turkey`s candidacy for the European Union. Each side believes its vision for a more democratic Turkey is threatened by the other side. Turkey`s highest courts - which see themselves as guardians of the secular values that were at the core of the political system established by Turkey`s founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk - have repeatedly clashed with the AKP over the proposed reforms. The package of reforms was passed by parliament after a marathon session in May, but not by the two-thirds majority which would have avoided the issue going to a referendum.The current constitution dates back to 1982, and was drafted after a military coup. The Turkish Başak News Editor, Ali ÖZKAN, Osmaniye-TurkeyVocabulary:Reject: ret etmekAppeal: müracaatCurb: frenlemek