Erdogan: Uber issue is 'over' for Turkish government

ANKARA

The Uber is a closed debate for Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.

Speaking after an iftar, fast breaking dinner, in Istanbul, Erdogan said: "The Uber issue is over for us as the government of Turkish Republic."

He said Uber is not different from unlicensed taxi driving and it is entrenching upon the taxi drivers.

The ride-sharing company left Turkey after Erdogan rejected to give an appointment to the head of Uber, he said.

Also touching on the March 31 local polls in Turkey, Erdogan said 754 presiding officers in Istanbul were appointed unlawfully, referring to the reason of Supreme Election Council (YSK) to rule a do-over election in Istanbul.

The results of the March Istanbul vote were canceled after the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party and its coalition partner Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) appealed, citing irregularities and contradictions with the country's election law.

They cannot overlook the votes of people who voted at those ballot boxes, Erdogan said.

The YSK on Wednesday justified the Istanbul revote to be held on June 23.

A total of 30,281 votes in 108 ballot boxes were declared invalid due to a lack of or unsigned counting sheets, the YSK said.

Also, polling clerks who were not civil servants served in 754 polling centers in the March 31 mayoral elections in Istanbul.

The council said this unprecedented practice would affect the vote difference of 13,729 between the ruling and opposition alliances.