With only 12 days left to the elections in Turkey, both presidential and deputy candidates are running campaigns all over the country. With the advantage of being a democratic country, the public is watching the election period with great maturity and interest.
I am in a good position to keep track of the country during this election period as I participate in panels all over Turkey, together with the Sabah Columnists' Club. I have also experienced the interest of citizens on the streets when supporting campaigns of my deputy candidate friends.
In fact, I was just in Küçükçekmece, Istanbul with my friend, former Youth and Sports Minister and Istanbul deputy candidate Çağatay Kılıç when a citizen directed ignorant words and claims against Syrian asylum seekers. I have to say I was very pleased with the attitude of not only the deputy candidate but also the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) administrators with him in answering such claims.
Our people embrace Syrian refugees and will not bend to racist ways, such as we see in the EU. Those politicans leaning on anti-refugee sentiment in Turkey for votes have no chance of winning the elections.
We will see once again that I am right on the evening of June 24. Turkish voters will prove that they will not be fooled by candidates, such as Meral Akşener of the Good Party (İP) , Muharram İnce of the Republican People's Party (CHP) or Temel Karamollaoğlu of the Felicity Party (SP), hunting for votes with empty populist remarks and promises just like France's Le Pen or Germany's AfD.
The voters in Turkey know very well which candidate is supported by whom and why. It is known that countries such as the United States, in which the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) has taken refuge, Germany or Belgium are trying to interfere with the elections. It is not a secret anymore that they are incorporated in a party.
In addition, some political circles, parties and politicians in the EU countries, renowned for their hostility towards Turkey, are trying to manipulate Turkey's democratic elections with only 12 days left to the elections in Turkey.
The fact that politicians who are the members of parties like the Left or the Greens in Germany are supporting a party serving as the spokesperson for PKK terrorist organization which has killed tens of thousands of people in Turkey is, in fact, a democratic scandal.
It is very painful for the pro-PKK Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which does not condemn terrorism and the terrorist organization and does not even hide the fact that it is under the influence of the PKK, to find support in the EU member states. Yet it is a pity to experience this in a period when all types of terror must be condemned, and terror-supporters should not be among us.
It does not surprise us at all that the enemies of Turkey in Europe or moderate opponents of Turkey and those who do not want Turkey to be an EU member and even those who do not want to see Islam and Muslims in Europe are against Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Turkey.
However, the fact that the enemies of Turkey, Turks, Islam and Muslims almost pray in churches and light a candle for Muharrem İnce, Meral Akşener or Temel Mollaoğlu to win is perhaps very helpful for Turkish voters to see the truth.
For example, the closing of mosques and the expulsion of imams in Austria, ruled by a coalition formed by a populist prime minister and a right-wing extremist and xenophobic party, lead those opposing Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. If they listen to the still, small voice of truth within, they will see that it is the right thing for a Turk and a Muslim who loves his or her country not to ignore the motivations of the enemies of Islam and Muslims.
Anti-Turkey and anti-Islamic politicians of EU countries continue to attempt to influence voters in Turkey and support the opposition, because the choice of the Turkish voters will once again disappoint them on the evening of June 24, 2018.