Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, Jul 27, 2024

Turkey election: Kremlin rejects accusations of interference

Turkey election: Kremlin rejects accusations of interference

The Kremlin has denied interfering in Turkey's elections after the opposition candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, accused Russia of "meddling".

Kemal Kilicdaroglu is seen as having a serious chance to unseat longstanding President Erdogan in Sunday's election

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russians did not interfere in internal affairs of other states.


He added: "If someone has presented Mr Kilicdaroglu with such information, then they are liars."

Mr Kilicdaroglu is seriously challenging strongman President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in power for 20 years.

The opposition leader has not provided details about his claims.

However, in a Twitter post which was also shared in Russian on Thursday, Mr Kilicdaroglu said that Russians were behind "montages, plots, deep fake content and tapes released in this country".

Mr Kilicdaroglu also said that if Russia wanted Turkey's "friendship" after this weekend's election it should "get [its] hands off the Turkish state. We are still in favour of cooperation and friendship."

Mr Peskov insisted that Russia "very much values" its relations with Turkey.

"The Republic of Turkey has so far taken a very responsible, sovereign and thought-out stance on a whole range of regional and global problems that we face. And this position has made a positive impression on us," he said on Friday.

The Twitter post was not the first reference to alleged Russian meddling that Mr Kilicdaroglu has made. Earlier this month, he warned government officials against making deals with what he called the "dark web" to "interfere" in the vote.

He alleged that deals had been made by the Turkish government with "serious foreign hackers" who were were paid in Bitcoin currencies. Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun dismissed the remarks as "irrational slander".

Mr Kilicdaroglu recently told the BBC that, if he wins the presidency, he will reorient Turkey, and prioritise relations with the West, not the Kremlin.

However, his foreign policy adviser Unal Cevikoz told the Russian state-backed channel RT that "there will not be serious change in foreign policy" towards Russia and that he believes Mr Kilicdaroglu "will have good relations" with Russia's Vladimir Putin.

Former civil servant Mr Kilicdaroglu, who is 74, will represent a coalition of opposition groups at Sunday's election. He is thought to have a serious chance to unseat Mr Erdogan.

More than 64 million people are expected vote at home and abroad.

If no candidate gets at least 50% plus one vote in the first round, the presidential election will go to a second round on 28 May between the two who received the most votes.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Kamala Harris Pledges Action on Gaza Crisis after Netanyahu Meeting
Heatwave in Morocco Claims 21 Lives in Beni Mellal
Israel Warns France of Iranian Threats at Paris Olympics
Hamas and Fatah Sign Unity Pact Amid Gaza Conflict
Netanyahu Urges Unity Between US and Israel in Congress Speech
Netanyahu Criticizes Anti-Israel Protesters in US
World's Hottest Day Recorded on July 21
Sri Lanka Apologizes for Forced Cremation of Muslim Covid Victims
Hacking Vulnerabilities: Androids vs. iPhones
Israel Conducts First Direct Air Raid on Yemen's Hodeidah Port
Joe Biden Withdraws from 2024 US Presidential Race
A Week of Turmoil: Key Moments in US Politics
US Criticizes International Court's Opinion on Israeli Occupation
Netanyahu Denounces World Court Ruling on Israeli Occupation
Adidas Drops Bella Hadid Over Controversy
UAE Court Sentences 43 to Life Imprisonment Over Terrorist Links
Spain PM Pedro Sanchez Denounces Double Standards on Gaza at NATO Summit
Biden Affirms Commitment To Presidential Race
2024 Predicted to Be World's Hottest Year
Iran's President-Elect Masoud Pezeshkian Reiterates Support for Hezbollah
Biden Insists on Continuing Presidential Race Amid Criticism
US Officials Resign Over Biden's Gaza Policy
Campaigners Push for Emergency Uplift Visa for Palestinians Escaping Gaza Conflict
Netanyahu Criticizes Release of Gaza Hospital Head
UK Government and British Airways Sued Over 1990 Kuwait Hostage Incident
Afghan Women's Rights Declared Internal Issue by Taliban
UK Appeals to ICC May Delay Arrest Warrants for Israeli Leaders
Iran's Presidential Election: A Close Race
Iran Threatens Retaliation if Israel Attacks Lebanon
EU Enforces Sanctions on Hamas Financiers
UN Agency Sued by Israelis Over Alleged Aid to Hamas
United States Bans Kaspersky Antivirus
White House Cancels US-Israel Meeting Amid Netanyahu's Accusations
Muslim Community Leader Criticizes Nigel Farage for Undermining Muslims
Hezbollah Chief Threatens All of Israel Amidst Escalating Conflict
Canada Lists Iran's Revolutionary Guards as Terrorist Group
Iran Sentences Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi to 1-Year Prison Term for Propaganda
Japan Considers Sanctions on UAE-Based Entities for Aiding Russia
Israel Rescues Four Hostages from Gaza
Iran Approves Six Candidates for Presidential Election After Raisi's Death
Israeli Commander Resigns After Hamas' October 7 Attack
Israeli War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz Resigns Over Gaza Strategy
UN to Add Israel to Human Rights Blacklist
Labour Party to Pledge Recognition of Palestinian State in Election Manifesto
Hamas Rejects Biden's Gaza Ceasefire Proposal as 'Just Words'
Hamas Has Not Responded To Latest Ceasefire Proposal: Qatar
State of Palestine Seeks to Join UN Court Case Accusing Israel of Genocide
Hezbollah Launches Drone Squadron Towards Israeli Military Targets
US-Built Pier in Gaza Faces Setbacks and Repairs
Norway, Ireland, and Spain Recognize Palestinian State
×