Turkish authorities search for biological, chemical weapons before members of top brass

Turkish authorities have conducted a search for biological and chemical weapons in a school in which members of the top brass and the country’s parliamentary speaker were scheduled to vote in the Çankaya district of Ankara. 

A number of politicians and army members are due to cast their votes at Çankaya Elementary School in the referendum that will decide whether the current parliamentary system should be replaced by an executive presidency. 

Parliamentary Speaker İsmail Kahraman, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar and force commanders are among those who will vote at the school. 

Tight security measures were taken before the voting started but were increased when Kahraman arrived to cast his vote. 

Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) searched for biological and chemical weapons in all classrooms. 

Deputy Chief of the General Staff Gen. Ümit Dündar and Land Forces Cmdr. Gen. Salih Zeki Çolak also voted at the school. 

Turkey is holding a referendum to decide whether to change the government system into an executive presidency with vastly enhanced powers for the president or to protect the current parliamentary system.