“With regard to the Turkish Supreme Election Council’s decision on a re-run of the local elections in Istanbul, I refer to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the only international body who had been invited to observe the local elections on 31 March.
We underline that the necessary conditions for free and fair elections must be verified prior to the Election Day – and not afterwards. The decision of the Supreme Electoral Council has the potential to severely damage the trust of the Turkish voters in the electoral authorities.
The Turkish People deserve an electoral process that provides democratic guarantees including a reliable and stable legal framework for elections.”
