ANKARA: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday accused the US and Europe of “meddling” in Turkey’s affairs after statements from Western allies following his ruling party’s challenge to local election results.
Erdogan and his AKP suffered an upset in Sunday’s ballot when results showed the party lost the capital Ankara and was narrowly defeated in Istanbul, the country’s largest city and economic hub.
While the United States has called on Turkey to accept the results, the European Union urged Ankara to allow elected officials to “exercise their mandate freely.”
But Erdogan rejected the remarks and told the US and Europe to “know your place.”
“America and Europe are... meddling in Turkey’s internal affairs,” Erdogan said in his first direct remarks to journalists since Monday.
“Turkey gave a democracy lesson to the whole world,” he added.
US State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said “free and fair elections are essential for any democracy, and this means acceptance of legitimate election results are essential” during a briefing on Tuesday.
EU spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic on Monday said Brussels expected elected local representatives to be able “to exercise their mandate freely and in line with the principles of the Council of Europe (rights group) to which Turkey is of course party.”
Andrew Dawson, head of a delegation from the Council of Europe in Turkey to observe the vote, said on Monday his team was “not fully convinced that Turkey currently has the free and fair electoral environment which is necessary for genuinely democratic elections in line with European values and principles.”
The two rival Istanbul candidates both declared victory soon after the vote when initial results showed them in a dead heat. The AKP appealed after electoral authorities later said the opposition’s Ekrem Imamoglu had taken a very slim lead.
The Turkish head of state hit out at American and European criticism over his party’s push for appeals.
“In your own countries, you have launched appeals.”
Erdogan fought hard before the vote, holding rallies across Turkey where he described the election of mayors and district councils as a battle for the nation’s survival.
But voters, concerned with the rising cost of living, double-digit inflation and unemployment, opted for the opposition in the country’s two biggest cities.
CHP opposition candidate Imamoglu told Fox Haber broadcaster earlier the difference between himself and the AKP’s candidate, Binali Yildirim, was now 18,742 votes.
He said nearly 120,000 previously annulled votes had been recounted in 17 Istanbul districts, with 2,184 extra votes being allowed for Yildirim, and 785 for himself.
Imamoglu estimated the final difference could finish between 18,000 to 20,000 once counting ended, probably by Sunday. Nearly 200,000 more votes still need to be recounted, he said.
“It should be over by the end of the weekend,” he told the station.
The AKP has said the recount will show its candidate won.
Election authorities provide ongoing recount details to observers from both parties to ensure transparency. Political parties have until April 10 to challenge the results.
A defeat in Istanbul would be especially sensitive for Erdogan who made his political career as mayor of the city. The AKP or its predecessors had held both cities since 1994.
AKP secretary general Fatih Sahin on Thursday said the party would also appeal to the Ankara provincial election board for the city’s 25 districts for another recount.
Opposition candidate Mansur Yavas of the CHP beat the AKP’s Mehmet Ozhaseki in Ankara, according to preliminary results.
After an initial recount in Ankara, Ozhaseki got 1,805 extra votes, prompting the party to appeal to the next level of electoral authorities as is allowed by law.
AKP officials have said they believe there was a huge discrepancy in both cities between ballots cast at polling stations and the actual data sent to election authorities.
Erdogan on Friday said his party won 24 out of 39 districts of Istanbul, but said: “The final decision will be taken by the Supreme Election Board.”
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Erdogan accuses US and Europe of ‘meddling’ after Turkey vote
Erdogan accuses US and Europe of ‘meddling’ after Turkey vote
- Erdogan's AKP claims a recount will show its candidate won
- Turkish oppostion is ahead by 18,742 votes against Erdogan’s party
Turkish, Greek leaders voice desire to resolve issues
- Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan say they discussed their issues 'in an open and sincere way'
- The NATO allies but historic rivals try to build on warming relations
ANKARA: The leaders of Turkiye and Greece voiced their desire to resolve longstanding maritime disputes hobbling ties during discussions in Ankara on Wednesday, as the NATO allies and historic rivals try to build on warming relations.
The neighbors have been at odds over a range of issues for decades, primarily maritime boundaries and rights in the Aegean, an area widely believed to hold energy resources and with key implications for airspace and military activity.
Following years of heightened tensions, a 2023 declaration on friendly relations prompted a thaw in rhetoric, though their maritime issues have remained unresolved and the two sides still disagree over regional matters.
Speaking at a press conference in Ankara with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said they had discussed their issues in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean “in an open and sincere way” during the talks.
“While the issues may be thorny, they are not unsolvable on the basis of international law. I saw that we were in agreement with my friend Kyriakos,” Erdogan said.
He added that the two countries would continue working to achieve their goal of reaching $10 billion in bilateral trade.
Mitsotakis said he hoped circumstances would allow the sides to solve a dispute on the demarcation of maritime and exclusive economic zones in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean.
If not now when?
“It is time to remove any substantial and formal threats to our relations, if not now, when?” Mitsotakis said.
“Destiny has appointed us to live in the same neighborhood. We cannot change geography, but we can make it an ally, choosing convergence, dialogue and trust in international law... to build a future of peace, progress and prosperity for our people.”
Despite the positive tone, Greece’s foreign minister earlier said Athens planned to extend its territorial waters further, including potentially in the Aegean.
Shortly after, Ankara said it had issued a maritime notice urging Greece to coordinate research activities in areas of the Aegean that Turkiye considers part of its continental shelf.
In 1995, Turkiye’s parliament declared a casus belli — a cause for war — should Greece unilaterally extend its territorial waters beyond six nautical miles in the Aegean, a stance Athens says violates international maritime law. Greece says it wants only to discuss demarcation of maritime zones.
Migrant flows
Mitsotakis also said the flows of migrants in the Aegean Sea had decreased by almost 60 percent last year due to cooperation between the two countries, adding this should be strengthened.
Fifteen migrants died in a shipwreck off the Greek island of Chios last week after their boat collided with a Greek coast guard vessel and sank in the Aegean Sea off the Turkish coast.
Turkiye is a transit country for migrants seeking to reach the European Union via Greece. Ankara says the EU has not fully delivered on commitments under a 2016 migration deal and Athens wants Turkiye to do more to curb irregular crossings.
The neighbors have been at odds over a range of issues for decades, primarily maritime boundaries and rights in the Aegean, an area widely believed to hold energy resources and with key implications for airspace and military activity.
Following years of heightened tensions, a 2023 declaration on friendly relations prompted a thaw in rhetoric, though their maritime issues have remained unresolved and the two sides still disagree over regional matters.
Speaking at a press conference in Ankara with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said they had discussed their issues in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean “in an open and sincere way” during the talks.
“While the issues may be thorny, they are not unsolvable on the basis of international law. I saw that we were in agreement with my friend Kyriakos,” Erdogan said.
He added that the two countries would continue working to achieve their goal of reaching $10 billion in bilateral trade.
Mitsotakis said he hoped circumstances would allow the sides to solve a dispute on the demarcation of maritime and exclusive economic zones in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean.
If not now when?
“It is time to remove any substantial and formal threats to our relations, if not now, when?” Mitsotakis said.
“Destiny has appointed us to live in the same neighborhood. We cannot change geography, but we can make it an ally, choosing convergence, dialogue and trust in international law... to build a future of peace, progress and prosperity for our people.”
Despite the positive tone, Greece’s foreign minister earlier said Athens planned to extend its territorial waters further, including potentially in the Aegean.
Shortly after, Ankara said it had issued a maritime notice urging Greece to coordinate research activities in areas of the Aegean that Turkiye considers part of its continental shelf.
In 1995, Turkiye’s parliament declared a casus belli — a cause for war — should Greece unilaterally extend its territorial waters beyond six nautical miles in the Aegean, a stance Athens says violates international maritime law. Greece says it wants only to discuss demarcation of maritime zones.
Migrant flows
Mitsotakis also said the flows of migrants in the Aegean Sea had decreased by almost 60 percent last year due to cooperation between the two countries, adding this should be strengthened.
Fifteen migrants died in a shipwreck off the Greek island of Chios last week after their boat collided with a Greek coast guard vessel and sank in the Aegean Sea off the Turkish coast.
Turkiye is a transit country for migrants seeking to reach the European Union via Greece. Ankara says the EU has not fully delivered on commitments under a 2016 migration deal and Athens wants Turkiye to do more to curb irregular crossings.
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