AK Party slams EU official's remarks on Turkey polls

By Kubra Kara

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party criticized an EU official for his remarks, said that objection process in elections is "a democratic right in Turkey as in European countries".

Party spokesman Omer Celik said in Sunday's televised press conference that the objection process is a part of the elections and is a democratic right in Turkey, same in European countries, referred to European Commission's First Vice President Frans Timmermans.

Celik added that the objection process is a part of the election process as it's a legitimate right to object the results.

Timmermans previously claimed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Justice and Development (AK) Party did not respect the election results as the AK Party requested to recount of votes following to Turkey's March 31 local elections.

Millions of Turkish voters cast their votes nationwide last Sunday in the local elections to choose Turkey’s mayors, city council members, mukhtars (neighborhood officials), and members of elder councils for the next five years.

According to unofficial results, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate Ekrem Imamoglu leads Istanbul with 48.79% of the votes, whereas Binali Yildirim of AK Party follows with 48.51% of the votes.

However, the AK Party has said a recount might change the results. Responding to a legal contest by the party, the Supreme Election Council (YSK) decided to re-examine some votes in seven districts of Istanbul.