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Vice Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş has reassured about the safety of the campaigns to be run for the referendum.
On a TV program on TGRT, Kurtulmuş said that people need to be informed of the amendment during the referendum process.
“The core error or basic mistake that the main opposition purposely has done is this: ‘A regime change…Turkey is heading towards a regime change’. It is in no way true. Source of authority is the votes of the people themselves, the national will. Sovereignty rests unconditionally with nation. From this perspective, the dispute on regime of Turkish state ended in 1923”.
“State of Emergency doesn’t affect daily life”
Kurtulmuş went on with his speech explaining that what ‘affirming’ presidential system in referendum will bring in Turkey.
Kurtulmuş also responded to criticisms that a referendum can’t be held under State of Emergency conditions:
“The government hasn’t declared the State of Emergency for phantasy.
“Our citizens on the streets are not affected [by the State of Emergency]. It is not a situation that affects their daily lives. This fight will go on. No government wish the State of Emergency to last too long. When we conclude this fight, there won’t be any need for the State of Emergency”.
“No restriction against ‘no’ campaign”
As to the criticism that “the opposition won’t be able to run their campaign on equal terms”, Kurtulmuş said:
“Such a thing is never going to happen. We guarantee that everyone will launch their campaigns on equal, free terms. Saying ‘no’ is as legit as saying ‘yes’. A restriction against those who run campaign for voting ‘no’ is out of question. We will be standing against it. Everyone will speak of their mind and run their campaign freely”. (HK/TK)
