Turkey’s presidential hopefuls hold final ralliesAugust 9, 2014 - 09:17 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Campaigning in Turkey's first direct presidential election is entering its final day ahead of the vote on Sunday, Aug 10. Candidate and current Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to hold his final rally in the central Anatolian city of Konya, BBC News reports. The post of president, previously chosen by parliament and largely ceremonial, is being put to a popular vote for the first time. Erdogan has said he wants to enhance presidential powers. At his penultimate rally in the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Friday, Erdogan called on his supporters to "explode ballot boxes on Sunday and deal a democratic slap" to his political opponents. His two rivals also reached out to voters on Friday. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu visited the town of Soma, which in May was the scene of Turkey's worst ever mining disaster. Erdogan's handling of the tragedy, in which 301 miners were killed, was widely criticized and he has steered clear of the area during his campaign. Kurdish candidate Selahattin Demirtas held the biggest rally of his campaign in Turkey's largest Kurdish city of Diyarbakir on Friday. Tens of thousands of people waving Kurdish flags turned out to hear him speak. Ihsanoglu, 71, is the joint candidate of the two main opposition parties, the centre-left Republican People's Party (CHP) and the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Demirtas, 41, is a member of the left-wing People's Democratic Party. The winner must get more than 50% of the vote. If no candidate reaches this mark in the first round, a run-off will be held on Aug 24. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | U.S., Armenia sign customs deal According to Armenian customs data, U.S.-Armenian trade reached $670 million last year. Glendale mayor to visit Yerevan Asatryan last visited Armenia in December 2022-January 2023 as she helped establish a partnership between Armenia’s Opera House and Los Angeles Opera. Ucom’s fixed network launches in Nor Hachn City residents will be able to use fixed-line Internet, mobile communications and television in one package at more affordable prices. Ambassador summoned to Russia returns to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin has returned to Yerevan more than two weeks after being recalled to Moscow for consultations. |