Turkish referendum: EU calls for “transparent investigations”

The European Union on Tuesday called on Turkish authorities to launch “transparent investigations” after international observers criticised the fairness of the voting process during the recent referendum.

The spokesperson for the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, said the call comes after Turkey rejected international observers’ criticism of the referendum on Sunday, in which over 51 per cent of voters supported granting greater powers to President Recep Erdogan.

The voters also turned Turkey’s parliamentary system into a presidential one.

Ms. Schinas said, “We … call on all actors to show restraint and on the authorities to launch transparent investigations into these alleged irregularities found by the observers.”

Also, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe said earlier that the Turkish referendum took place on “an unlevel playing field.”

The parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe (CoE) also noted that the referendum “fell short of CoE standards.”

MS. Shinas also noted that if Turkey were to reinstate the death penalty, which Mr. Erdogan has shown willingness for, the country’s prospects of joining the EU would be over.

“This is the reddest of all red lines.

“Moving from rhetoric to action on the issue of the death penalty would be a clear signal that Turkey does not want to be a member of the European family,” Ms. Schinas said.

Turkey’s main secularist opposition CHP said it will present its appeal for the annulment of Sunday’s referendum boosting the powers of Mr. Erdogan to the High Electoral Board (YSK) on Tuesday, the party said in a statement.

The CHP said Deputy Chairman Bulent Tezcan would present the appeal to the YSK at 2:30 p.m.

The CHP on Monday called for the annulment of the referendum and said it would take its challenge to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary, after a last-minute decision by the electoral board to allow unstamped ballots.