Call from Human Rights Platform "Use your vote"

The Human Rights Platform called on Turkish Cypriots to participate in the European Parliament elections to be held in June this year.

A press conference was held today, giving information about the elections.

Speaking at the meeting, Derya Beyatlı stated that from June 6 to June 9, citizens of EU member countries will take to the polls to elect politicians to the European Parliament.
“On Sunday, June 9, Cypriots will take to the polls and elect 6 candidates. Turkish Cypriots older than the age of 18 who also have a Republic of Cyprus identity card, have the right to vote as well.” Beyatlı was cited as saying.

THE RATE OF TURKISH CYPRIOTS GOING TO THE POLLS IS LOW

Reminding that 4 EP elections (2004, 2009, 2014, 2019) have been held every five years since 2004, Beyatlı stated that the rate of Turkish Cypriots going to the polls remained quite low although there were Turkish Cypriot candidates in each election.

Beyatlı said that although the rate of Turkish Cypriots going to the polls in the last elections (in 2019) doubled compared to 2014 (1800 people, 3.14%), 6.93% had participated in the elections.

“VOTING ISN’T AN EASY PROCESS”

“Following investigations, the most common reason for Turkish citizens not voting is the process not being easy. The second reason was that most Turkish Cypriots do not know that they have the right to vote in the European Parliament elections and the final reason was stated as Turkish Cypriot citizens not being registered in the voter list,” Beyatlı added.

Beyatlı reminded that approximately 1000 Turkish Cypriots had complained because they couldn’t take to the polls and vote in the last two elections as they were not registered on the voter list.

“Even the candidates’ close relatives were not able to vote in the previous elections and had complained to the European Parliament, the Supreme Election Committee and the Ombudsman,” Derya Beyatlı was cited as saying.