CANDIDATE ENJOYING SUPPORT OF ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN TURKEY DEFEATED IN PARLIAMENTARIAN ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Jul 24, 2007

ANKARA, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The name of Basken
Oran, who was nominated as a candidate for an independent MP in
Istanbul, is not included in the preliminary unofficial list of the
MPs, who have won in the parliamentarian elections. This information
was provided by the "Milliyet" Daily.

In general, 34 thousand people voted for Basken Oran.

It should be mentioned that Etyen Mahchupian, the editor-in-chief of
the "Agos" Weekly, had spoke about the forthcoming parliamentarian
elections in Turkey in his interview with the "Tempo" journal and
declared that 60% of the Armenian community would vote for the
"Justice and Development" party.

He had also mentioned that the Armenian community in Turkey supported
Basken Oran, who was nominated as an independent MP in Istanbul.

A group of citizens organized a stride race in the streets of Istanbul
on July 19 in diffence of Basken Oran. During this stride race the
slogan "We all are Hrant Dinks, we all are Armenians" was uttered in
a loud voice.

And the French "Le Monde" newpaper called Basken Oran preacher of
Turkish democracy in one of its issues. In his interview with the
newspaper Basken Oran had mentioned that if Hrant Dink, the former
editor-in-chief of the Weekly "Agos", were alive, it was quite
possible that the latter would stand for a candidate of MP instead
of him: "If Hrant Dink were alive, it is probable that he would be
a candidate of MP instead of me. I would like to see that. Though,
if he were alive, the current situation would not have been created,
as the political atmosphere of Turkey has totally changed after his
murder," Basken Oran had declared.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress