Turkish FM slams election observer for holding PKK flag

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA

Turkey’s foreign minister Tuesday slammed the objectivity of a European observer of the weekend referendum, citing a photo of the German MP holding up a flag of the terrorist PKK.

"German MP Andrej Hunko posing with symbol of PKK terrorist organization is the election observer of PACE," Cavusoglu said on Twitter. "How can one expect objectivity?"

The tweet included an undated photo of the Left Party MP holding up a PKK flag.

Hunko was a member of a 23-person joint Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)-Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) delegation sent to observe Turkey’s constitutional referendum last Sunday.

Turkey’s president and Foreign Ministry have dismissed critical claims made by the delegation.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU. During its over 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, more than 40,000 people have lost their lives.

Since the group resumed its armed campaign in July 2015, more than 1,200 people, including security personnel and civilians, have been killed.

Turkish voters went to the polls on Sunday to decide whether to approve changes to the country’s constitution that would usher in an executive presidency.

According to unofficial results, the Yes campaign won with 51.41 percent, while the No votes stood at 48.59 percent. Voter turnout was 85.46 percent.