Turkish PM urges HDP to respect election laws

NEW YORK

Turkey’s prime minister on Tuesday urged the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) to respect the country's election laws as well as results of the upcoming general election.

Ahmet Davutoglu remarks came in response to a question about a HDP spokesman's statement that the party could mull boycotting the polls in the face of a possible Supreme Election Board (YSK) decision to combine ballot boxes in some districts due to security concerns.

"That statement is in fact an expression of their distrust for the polls. If the YSK, which is an independent institution of Turkey, deems this necessary for election security, everybody has to respect this," Davutoglu told Turkish reporters in New York. He is in the U.S. for the 70th UN General Assembly meetings.

"Every regulation that will provide a safe and secure atmosphere for people to express their political will should be encouraged and considered positive," he said in translated remarks.

In an interview with a Turkish newspaper on Monday, HDP spokesman Ayhan Bilgen said his party could consider an election boycott if the YSK accepted requests from some local election bodies to combine votes in their areas over security concerns following violence by PKK terrorist group.

"HDP's refusal to take part in the election could turn out to be the smallest incident. In such cases, the country may even think about civil war," Bilgen reportedly said.

The Nov. 1 polls will take place nearly five months after an inconclusive election in June 7 resulted in no party winning an overall majority.

The election, however, was marked by serious allegations about PKK's threats and intimidation against election observers and voters in southeastern regions to force them to vote for HDP.

The terrorist group resumed attacks on Turkey following the July 20 Suruc massacre, in which 33 pro-Kurdish activists were killed in a Daesh-linked bomb attack. More than 120 security forces have been martyred by the PKK since, according to the government, with approximately 30 civilians killed.

The HDP – which won 80 seats in the election – has been accused of harboring links to the PKK, which is classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and European Union.

Calling Bilgen's statement "evil-minded", Davutoglu said: "Removal of the means for pressure against YSK in areas considered unsafe is a development that ruins HDP's game. That's the reason why they are giving this reaction. Everybody is expected to respect the polls, election safety and results that will come out of the ballot boxes," he said.