The Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) issued a statement to congratulate the Kurdish people and the DEM party for the results achieved at the 31 March local elections.

The statement said: "The local elections celebrated on 31 March resulted in the victory of the democratic masses in Kurdistan and Turkey who are in favour of social equality and political change. The election results, which will make a contribution to democratic values, are a success that should be celebrated as they were achieved under highly unequal conditions. The main image of the 31 March elections that will remain in the memory is that tens of thousands of security guards were bussed in under the name of 'transported voters' to vote in various parts of Kurdistan. In some places the pro-Kurdish DEM-Party’s votes were set alight. 81 mayorships were won despite these measures and appeals have been launched by DEM Party in 2 cities and 4 provinces."

The statement added: "The appointment of trustees to the mayorships in Kurdish provinces was the most serious unlawful act in the last two local elections. It was used against the Kurdish people as a means of blackmail and oppression before the 31 March elections. During the election process, the AKP-MHP fascist alliance wanted to give messages that the will of the Kurdish people would be ignored if they did not choose to side with the government. Despite all these and similar state-sponsored oppression and criminalisation policies, the response of the Kurdish people in the 31 March local elections was spectacular.

The Kurdish people's stance in the March 31 elections is a counter-response to the Turkish state's annexation policy, which wants to reach the Misaki-Milli borders by conducting military operations in all parts of Kurdistan. It is a counter-response to the Turkish state's strategy of intimidation, which seeks to spread its threats to Europe and suppress the Kurds wherever they live. It is a counter-response to the isolation policy against the Kurdish people's leader, who has been kept incommunicado by the Turkish state for more than 3 years, disregarding international law."

The statement continued: "The message that the Kurdish people want to give to the Turkish state and also to global public opinion through the 31 March elections must be understood carefully. The Kurdish people openly declare that they do not accept the security policies of the AKP-MHP fascist government based on its hostility towards Kurds. Therefore, we emphasize that all interlocutors who are directly or indirectly part of the Kurdistan problem should acknowledge the fact that the will of the Kurdish people cannot be ignored. We strongly emphasise that all countries known for their commitment to democratic values should not sacrifice the Kurdistan issue to traditional inter-state interests and that international approaches based on peace and justice should be taken as a basis.

We congratulate the Kurdish people, the DEM-Party management and staff, and all civil society components for their success in the 31 March local elections. We wish success to the new mayors who have the opportunity to serve society in cities across Kurdistan."