Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc on Wednesday dismissed allegations against Anadolu Agency for its local election coverage.
Speaking to the agency, Arinc said "Our national news agency provided the results directly from the polling stations for the first time in its history. When the results came out, we saw how accurate these results were."
Arinc rejected derogatory remarks on AA that came from the main opposition party (CHP) leader Kilicdaroglu and CHP Ankara Mayoral Candidate Mansur Yavas.
"This is all just speculation and an effort to undermine our agency and the election results," he added.
The Deputy Prime Minister described the allegations as 'ridiculous'
"AA is not an ordinary agency. Our great leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's agency has become internationally prominent over the past few years. Why would AA manipulate anything in favour of a party? These are all part of a smear campaign we strongly reject," he said.
Arinc also defended the actions of AA Director General, Kemal Ozturk; "I know that the director general was on duty at the AA headquarters for twenty hours on the election day and directed the agency's coverage. I personally find him very successful and I would like to congratulate the AA for its election coverage ."
englishnews@aa.com.tr
