Turkey's opposition forces establish ‘Fair Election Platform’

Gamze Kolcu - ANKARA

Five opposition parties along with non-governmental organizations and union confederations have formed a “Fair Election Platform” in Ankara in order to ensure poll security in the upcoming June 24 elections.

“We, non-governmental organizations, civil initiatives, professional and labor organizations have united our forces in order to ensure a fair and safe election environment, and without any doubt, a reflection of free will onto the polls,” read the joint declaration of the platform read aloud in a press conference on May 31 in Ankara.

“Our main goal is for the electorate’s results to reflect their actual votes and for the election to be finalized in a fair and secure manner,” it added.

Five parties, including main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), İYİ (Good) Party, and Felicity Party (SP) with the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK), Confederation of Public Laborer’s Unions (KESK) and 10 civil initiatives such as the Atatürkist Thought Association and Unity for Democracy, have signed the joint declaration, pledging to work together in the upcoming June 24 elections.

The platform came as the opposition parties have been expressing their objection to the legislative amendment approved in March, which brings changes in electoral procedures, arguing that the changes will cast a shadow on election security.

The CHP had appealed the Constitutional Court for the cancellation of certain articles, including the article that authorizes the Supreme Board of Elections (YSK) to change the constituencies of the electorates and to transfer and unite ballot boxes if it deems necessary for security reasons. The top court rejected the main opposition’s appeal on May 31, the same day the platform was formed.

The platform members said they would establish “a joint press and communication center” for the election and delegate exclusive observers to the ballot boxes to ensure a simultaneous update of the voting results.

“All participants of the platform work together to delegate ballot box committee members and observers in a manner that there will not be any empty boxes,” the declaration stated.

Reminding that the YSK has already changed the location of ballot boxes for 144,000 electorates in a decision on May 28, they stated that they would triple the number of their delegation in each ballot box that had been transferred to another constituency.

“We will be ready in 50,180 provinces in 972 villages in Turkey,” said CHP deputy leader Onursal Adıgüzel.

Prosecutor’s office forms coordination center

Meanwhile, the Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s Office has formed a coordination center in Ankara in order to investigate incidents that occur during elections and to ensure the security of the elections.

One chief public prosecutor and three terror prosecutors have been appointed to the center, daily Hürriyet’s Mesut Hasan Benli reported on June 1.