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Political party leaders have gone to the ballot box and cast their votes for the March 31 General Local Elections.
As of 1 p.m., Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chairs Pervin Buldan and Sezai Temelli, İYİ Party Chair Meral Akşener, Republican People's Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli have spoken to press after casting their votes.
Erdoğan: It is going well until now
Voting at the Saffet Çebi Secondary School in Üsküdar, İstanbul at around 3 p.m., President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has also made a statement:
"We are really sorry for what happened in Malatya. Such a thing should not have happened. Our Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior, the judiciary are conducting the necessary inquiries and investigations right now.
CLICK - 2 Ballot Box Observers Killed in Malatya
"However, I do not approve that this situation is turned into an interrogation or judgement between the parties. In such cases, the words that would come out of our lips are of considerable importance. I hope that no incidents will arise until the election comes to an end. It is going well until now."
Buldan: I will watch trustees leaving Diyarbakır
HDP Co-Chair Pervin Buldan has cast her vote in Florya, İstanbul. Afterwards, Buldan has made the following statement:
"I hope that the votes that we cast today will contribute to peace, freedoms and equality. We have fulfilled our duty today and I believe that our people will also fulfil their duty at the ballot box. Now, I have cast my vote and I will directly go to Diyarbakır. Because it will give me great pleasure to watch it in Diyarbakır how the trustees will leave the city."
Temelli: A wind of democracy and peace is blowing
HDP Co-Chair Sezai Temelli has also cast his vote in Yeşilköy, İstanbul. After casting his vote, Temelli has made the following remarks:
"I hope that it [election] will be beneficial to the peoples of Turkey, to laborers, women, youngsters, everybody; I hope that it will be beneficial to everyone who has suffered in this country. The wind has come early. A wind of democracy, a wind of peace is blowing. We hope that these elections will, above all, change the language and tone of politics. It will save the language of politics from discrimination and hate speech and bring a wind of change to those who wish for a new life in Turkey."
Akşener: Turkey will be good
İYİ (Good) Party Meral Akşener has cast her vote at an anatolian high school in Beylerbeyi, İstanbul. After casting her vote, Akşener has said,
"We went through a long and eventful electoral campaign process. I wish luck to all candidates. I wish that the results of this election will be beneficial for Turkey. Turkey will be good. Üsküdar will be good. İstanbul will be good."
Kılıçdaroğlu: If god permits, march will end in spring
Casting his vote in Argentina Primary School in the capital city of Ankara, CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has stated:
"We have cast our votes, I hope that it will be beneficial. Millions of our citizens will go to the ballot boxes and cast their votes. We wish that our citizens will make their choices without any negative incidents. If god permits, march will end in spring. I pay my respect to you all."
Bahçeli: I voted for the Alliance of the People
Lastly, Devlet Bahçeli, Chair of the MHP, which has formed the Alliance of the People with the ruling AKP, voted at Anıttepe Primary School in Ankara.
After he cast his vote, a journalist asked Bahçeli, "Did you vote for another party than the MHP for the first time?". Bahçeli answered, "I voted for the Alliance of the People." (AS/SD)
