Turkey's ruling party dismisses early election demands

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's acting chairman on Monday dismissed opposition demands for early elections.

Asserting that elections would be held according to schedule in June 2023, Numan Kurtulmus told lawmakers that there are currently no "rational and political conditions to hold early elections in Turkey."

In a speech during parliamentary deliberations on the country's 2021 budget, Kurtulmus underlined that Turkey has always made major reforms "when facing crisis."

He said: "2021 will be an economic, political and judicial reform year for Turkey."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared last month that his administration would enact sweeping reforms in the economy and judiciary with new steps that would raise the standards of democratic rights and freedoms.

He had also stressed the importance of protecting the balance between security and freedom.