'No' votes will benefit the PKK: President Erdoğan

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Voting against constitutional changes that will bring about the executive presidential system will "benefit the [outlawed Kurdistan Worker's Party] PKK," and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) aims to underline this throughout its campaign.

"If I say 'no,' my vote will be going to Kandil. If I say 'no,' this country will head to instability. If I say 'no,' my vote will go to a place where there is no atmosphere of trust," Erdoğan told reporters on his return from Pakistan to Turkey on March 2, referring to the PKK headquarters in northern Iraq.

"Kandil says its vote is 'no' and it is encouraging 'no' votes. We cannot ignore that. We have to dwell on this issue. This terrorist organization has taken 35,000 lives so far. If such an organization says 'no,' we have to inform our public about that," he said, referring to the ongoing operation against PKK groups in Mardin and Nusaybin.

"In the latest operations in [the southeastern province of] Mardin, there were tunnels and underground cities under the houses that our security agencies entered. They say 1,500 people can live in those tunnels. If you say 'no,' your vote goes there. Are we not going to tell this to the citizens?" Erdoğan added.

The president said the AKP was conducting field work and would continue to hold rallies as well as local meetings across the country.

 "I am doing what is my due. The AKP leader and its cadre is also in the field carrying out work. The MHP is also carrying out work. We are a committee working for 'yes' in solidarity. We will keep doing that," Erdoğan said, referring to the Nationalist Movement Party, which is collaborating with the AKP in the bid to shift Turkey to an executive...