Turkey’s Armenian community vote “no” in constitutional referendum, according to Agos editor

YEREVAN, APRIL 17, ARMENPRESS. The Turkish constitutional changes referendum cannot in any way be called reforms, Bagrat Estukyan, editor-in-chief of the Armenian language department of Istanbul’s Agos weekly told ARMENPRESS.

Estukyan added as result of the referendum the President will have autocratic powers.

“AS result of all this, there will be dictatorship power in Turkey, therefore the constitutional referendum cannot in any way be called reforms”, he said.

Estukyan said the Armenian community of Turkey was against the constitutional changes, and everyone voted no.

“But unfortunately “yes” won, which was expected. After all of this the political situation in the country will be more difficult”, he said.

Asked what was the reason that voters mostly voted against the changes in major cities, Estukyan said because Turkey isn’t a homogeneous country.

“There are national minorities in Turkey, people of different religion. For instance in Dersim, which is a mainly Alevi populated city, “no” won by 80%. And in general, the Christian population of Turkey mostly voted against the changes. This is how the voting differences in different parts of the country can be explained”, he said.