YSK's puzzling tender catches the attention of CHP figure: 'Elections are years away'
While the debate over early elections between the AKP and the opposition has been ongoing for some time, the State Supply Office (DMO) has initiated a tender process for ballot paper and envelope paper for the Supreme Election Council (YSK). CHP's Tanrıkulu questioned AKP's Yılmaz on the matter.
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The Supreme Election Council recently issued a tender for ballot papers and envelopes.
Drawing attention to the fact that this process was initiated at a very early date, CHP Diyarbakır Deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu asked Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, "Are you preparing for an early election?"
According to a report by Ünsal Ergel from Gerçek Gündem, the deadline for final bids in the announcement was set for October 21, 2024, and it was announced that 5 thousand tons of ballot paper and envelope paper would be procured through the direct procurement method.
This announcement comes years before the elections, which are normally expected to be held in May 2028.
DELIVERY IN 8 MONTHS
While it was stated that this procurement would be carried out via "direct procurement" according to Article 22 of the Public Procurement Law, the announcement on the DMO website also requested that "a total of 5 thousand tons of paper, consisting of 4 thousand tons of watermarked ballot paper and 1 thousand tons of watermarked ballot envelope paper," be delivered within 8 months.
PREPARING FOR AN EARLY ELECTION?
Submitting a parliamentary question to Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz regarding this announcement, CHP Diyarbakır Deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu asked, "Are you preparing for an early election?" In his written parliamentary question, Tanrıkulu requested information on the following points for Yılmaz to answer:
"Why was the delivery period set as 8 months for the needs put out to tender by the State Supply Office? Did the request for the tender in question come from the Supreme Election Council?
For what reasons were the criteria in the tender published by the State Supply Office determined?
Have similar tenders been held by the State Supply Office in previous years?
How many envelope papers and watermarked ballot papers are used by the Supreme Election Council during election periods?
Is an election study being planned by the Supreme Election Council for the years 2025 or 2026?
Is this preparation a preliminary study for moving the 2028 elections forward?
In which areas will these materials requested by the Supreme Election Council be used?"