ISTANBUL, May 21 Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday that the Turkish authorities have no evidence of alleged attempts by the Russian Federation to interfere in the elections in Turkey, and opposition presidential candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who made such accusations, should be more serious.
Earlier, the press secretary of the head of the Russian state, Dmitry Peskov, commenting on Kilychdaroglu's statement about alleged Russian interference in the elections, said that Moscow does not interfere in the domestic politics and electoral processes of other states. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan urged Kılıçdaroglu to «be ashamed» after his statements about Russia's alleged interference in the country's elections. Deputy head of the Republican People's Party Oguz Salyczi noted that the Turkish opposition opposes interference in the elections by any state, including the United States, he also refused to comment on the sources of information about the alleged «interference of the Russian Federation.»
«Mr. Kilichdaroglu began to threaten Russia. It is a mistake to spoil our relations with any country like this … I asked him if he had any evidence, some kind of document. He replied: «I got such an impression.» authorities in Turkey, the opposition leader should be more serious. We (the authorities — ed.) also received no information about this,» the minister said in an interview with the Habertürk TV channel.
“If you make an assertion, then be kind enough to share documents and evidence with the state, otherwise it is pre-election propaganda. It is impossible to target any country on the basis of “impression,” the minister stressed.
Kılıçdaroğlu, in his first full-fledged address after the first round of elections, called for voting for him in order to stop the flow of illegal migrants into the country, and called Erdogan a «pseudo leader subordinate to Russia.»
According to the final results of the first round of the presidential elections, Erdogan was supported by 49.52% of voters, Kilicdaroglu — by 44.88%.
The second round of presidential elections is scheduled for May 28. To win, a candidate needs a simple majority of votes.