Turkish referendum polls put 'yes' vote slightly ahead

Istanbul, 12 April 2017 (MIA) - Two Turkish opinion polls on Wednesday showed a narrow majority of Turks, between 51-52 percent, would vote "yes" in Sunday's referendum on changing the constitution to create an executive presidency, Reuters reported.
Voters in Turkey go to the polls on April 16 to decide whether to give Erdogan sweeping new powers. Voting for Turks living abroad finished on Sunday.
A survey by pollsters ANAR put the "yes" vote at 52 percent. Its poll was conducted face-to-face with more than 4,000 people on April 5-10 in 26 provinces. The number of undecided voters has fallen to 8 percent, it said, adding that led to a two percentage point boost for "yes" since the start of March.
Similarly, the Konsensus polling company put the "yes" vote at 51.2 percent after the distribution of undecided voters. It conducted its survey face-to-face with 2,000 people on April 2-8 in 41 provinces.
Erdogan has spent much of his recent campaign attacking the head of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), which is spear-heading the "no" camp. He has accused its leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, of lying, language Kilicdaroglu has said is not fitting of a president.
On Tuesday, Erdogan ridiculed the opposition leader for losing the last seven elections. "The people don't like you, they don't embrace you. The truth is plain," he said during a televised meeting with university students.
The referendum campaign has damaged Turkey's ties with some European allies. Erdogan has described the banning on security grounds of some rallies by Turkish ministers in the Netherlands and Germany as "Nazi-like" tactics.
Germany has called the references unacceptable. But Erdogan has continued undeterred, repeatedly accusing Germany of harbouring members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), an accusation Berlin has denied.
"Germany is currently sheltering terrorists. I say it openly. When I say they have resurrected Nazism they go crazy. Why do you go crazy? That's what you've done, that's why I say it," Erdogan said at Tuesday night's event.
Erdogan said this week that Turks living overseas had turned out strongly to vote, which pollsters say could benefit him. ba/16:57
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Moscow: Turkey not in charge of chemical weapons use
Moscow, 12 April 2017 (MIA) - The issue of the alleged use of chemical weapons in Khan Sheikhoun in the Syrian province of Idlib is outside the competence of the Turkish Health Ministry, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.
The Russian diplomat thus commented on the Turkish Health Ministry’s position with regard to the use of chemical agent sarin in Idlib, TASS reports.
"It seems to me that the Turkish Health Ministry should deal with the analysis of water in the sea ahead of the [tourist] season and check the quality of food products, including in resorts," the diplomat said.
As the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said, the problem of chemical weapons is within the competence of the relevant international organizations.
In particular, the issue is within the competence of "not only the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons" but also within the competence "of the relevant division dealing with the investigation of incidents with the use of chemical weapons directly on the territory of Syria," she said.
Turkish Health Minister Recep Akdag said on Tuesday that experts had established with accuracy the fact of the use of sarin in the Syrian province of Idlib. lk/19:36
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Mogherini and Hahn put pressure on the Albanian opposition party
Tirana, 13 April 2017 (MIA) - European Union diplomatic high representative Federica Mogherini and Commissioner Johannes Hahn issued a joint statement calling on the Albanian opposition Democratic Party to participate in the elections scheduled for June 18th. The Democrats refused to take part, saying that the ruling Socialist Party will rig the vote, and called on the example of Macedonia, in which a broader technical Government was formed to placate the opposition into participating in the elections.
"We regret the parliamentary boycott in Albania and that the opposition has not yet registered to participate in the elections. The political debate should not take place outside, but inside the parliament according to democratic practice. Citizens deserve responsible leadership. We once again urge all political leaders to act responsibly, with respect for institutions, and pave the way for democratic elections, in line with international standards", Mogherini and Hahn said.
The Democratic Party did not submit lists of candidates and is boycotting Parliament. Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama seems determined to go to the polls even without the main opposition party, and despite an announcement by his junior coalition partner Ilir Meta that he too may boycott the vote. Democratic leader Lulzim Basha said that a major reason for his boycott of the elections is the interference of foreign diplomats in Tirana on behalf of the Socialists, and their joint push for a judicial reform which, the Democrats believe, will allow the Socialists to stack the courts with their supporters. In their statement, Mogherini and Hahn again called on the Democratic Party to agree to the judicial reforms.
"More specifically, the much needed justice reform in Albania has once again come under attack. We call on all parties to complete the formation of the vetting institutions. Attacking the judicial reform rather than ensuring implementation of vetting, with close monitoring of the International Monitoring Operation, harms Albania's present and future. We expect that Members of the Parliament will show responsibility, capacity to act within the democratic legitimate institutional framework, and that they stand by the people of Albania, who continue to demand that the vetting is launched and the judiciary eventually reformed, also as a crucial step for the country to join the European Union", the statement adds.