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Early elections in Turkey to foil dirty calculations - gov't spokesman

Speaking to the Anadolu Agency in the capital Ankara, Turkish Deputy PM Bekir Bozdağ on Thursday stated that the planned early elections was a step which would ruin the 'dirty calculations' made against Turkey, adding that it would also affect markets 'positively' by ruling out the uncertainties regarding the future of Turkey.

Anadolu Agency TÜRKIYE
Published April 19,2018
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Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ on Thursday said the planned early elections in Turkey is a step to foil "dirty calculations".

Speaking to the Anadolu Agency's Editors' Desk in capital Ankara, Bozdağ said: "To move the elections to an earlier time foils the step of those who have made dirty calculations against Turkey.

"The new system of government will be implemented through the will of people on June 24."

The deputy premier said Turks will open a "new period" on June 24 through the planned early elections.

"We decided to move the elections to an earlier date to prevent Turkey from getting harmed," he said, adding that this would also end debates about the elections in the country.

"The scenario in Turkey will be written by Turkish people, not by others anymore; everyone will be liable to the scenario written by the people."

Bozdağ also said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will be a candidate of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the people during planned early elections.

He called on main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu to contest the elections.

POSITIVE EFFECT ON MARKET

Bozdağ predicted the elections would have a "positive" effect on the markets.

"Yesterday's reaction of the market [to the early elections decision] also clearly shows this positive effect.

"All uncertainties regarding the future have been removed," he said.

Turkey's benchmark stock index surged by 3.08 percent to close at 112,099.01 points on Wednesday with around 10.5 billion Turkish lira ($2.6 billion) trade volume.

The Borsa İstanbul's BIST 100 index ended the day with a 3,354.22-point hike from Tuesday's close of 108,744.79 points, while it opened the midweek trading day at 108,618.32 points with a 0.12 percent down.

His remarks came a day after Erdoğan announced that early presidential and parliamentary elections were being planned in Turkey on June 24.

The announcement came after opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) head Devlet Bahçeli Tuesday called for early elections.

On April 16, 2017, Turkey held a referendum during which the majority of voters pronounced themselves in favor of an 18-article bill switching a parliamentary system into a presidential one.