OSCE observers refuse to recognize Turkish elections as fair

Turkey’s presidential election was held with biased media coverage and a lack of a level playing field for candidates, giving an “undue advantage” to the incumbent president of the republic. About it says in a joint statement by OSCE observers.

“In the difficult situation that we are in Turkey – but with a high turnout and the understanding that people had a choice between real political alternatives, it would be too short-sighted to say whether they were honest or not, whether they were free or not.” , – said the head of the delegation from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Farah Karimi. The press conference was broadcast on the official website of the OSCE.

OSCE observers also pointed to the “tough rhetoric, inflammatory and discriminatory statements of both rivals” which, according to the organization, “undermined the process” of the elections. The statement notes that the elections in Turkey “were calm and well organized.” At the same time, there were cases of non-compliance with “certain procedures”, in particular, during the counting of votes.

On May 28, the second round of presidential elections took place in Turkey. According to the results of counting 100% of the votes, the current President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, received 52.18%, and his rival, the leader of the Republican People’s Party, Kemal Kılıçdaroglu, received 47.82%, transmits TV channel TRT Haber. On May 14, when the first round of the presidential elections took place, they won 49.5% and 44.8% of the vote, respectively. It was decided to organize a second round after none of the candidates on May 14 passed the mark of 50% of the votes required to win in the first round.

With Erdogan’s election victory already congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader expressed his readiness to continue the dialogue with the re-elected president on issues of the “bilateral, regional and international agenda.” He also noted the importance of implementing joint projects between Russia and Turkey, in particular, the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant and the creation of a gas hub in Turkey.

Erdogan declaredthat the outcome of the elections was the victory of democracy and the beginning of the “century of Turkey”. Losing candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, named past elections “one of the most unfair periods in the history” of the country.