The head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell praised Monday April 1 the “calm” and “professionalism” of the municipal elections in Turkey marked by the victory of the opposition, believing that their smooth running honored the country. “Holding the municipal elections calmly and professionally honors Turkey and demonstrates citizens’ commitment to local democracy,” Josep Borrell said in a message on the social network X.
The holding of the municipal elections in a calm & professional manner honors Türkiye & shows the citizens’ commitment to local democracy. Fundamental rights & democracy are at the core of our relations: looking forward to working together on reforms bringing 🇹🇷 closer to the EU.
Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) April 1, 2024
Municipal elections on Sunday in Turkey marked the victory of the secular CHP party at the head of the country’s main cities, including Istanbul, against the party of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Negotiations between the European Union and Turkey, a candidate for membership since 1999, have been frozen since 2018. The EU is now seeking a high-level dialogue with Ankara and to improve cooperation on subjects of common interest such as migration, energy or trade.
This article is originally published on .francetvinfo.fr
