In response to a decision by the Turkish authorities to deny accreditation as election observers to Danish parliamentarian Soren Sondergaard and Swedish parliamentarian Kadir Kasirga, who had been appointed as members of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) Parliamentary Assembly’s election observation mission to the 14 May general elections in Turkey, Special Co-ordinator of the OSCE short-term observer mission Michael Georg Link and Head of the OSCE PA Delegation Farah Karimi today issued the following statement:

“As the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has conveyed Turkey’s diplomatic mission to the OSCE, we are disappointed with this step taken by the Turkish authorities, which could impact negatively on the work of the international observer mission. While acknowledging the basic right of any country to control access to its polling stations, members of an election observation mission in an OSCE country, following an invitation by the country’s authorities, must be able to perform the tasks for which they have been invited. The country that has invited the OSCE PA to observe should not – directly or indirectly – influence the composition of the mission. We are particularly disappointed that this denial is based on statements made in the framework of their general political mandate as independent members of parliament.

“We express our hope that Turkish authorities will extend appropriate support to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly observers.”