A "compass scandal" occurred during the negotiations of the agreement signed between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on June 18. It turned out that only 4 of the 60 MPs who voted by ballot were in the hall. CHP Gaziantep Deputy Hasan Öztürkmen submitted a parliamentary question on the issue, requesting that the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Numan Kurtulmuş, answer it. Öztürkmen pointed out that there was a "fake ballot paper scandal" in the General Assembly of the Turkish Grand National Assembly on June 18, and stated that an attempt was made to cast a "fake vote" by forging the signatures of deputies who were not in the general assembly during the voting. Öztürkmen asked the Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Kurtulmuş, "On behalf of which MPs were given fake ballot papers in the voting in question? Who signed the fake ballot papers? What kind of an investigation did the Presidency of the Turkish Grand National Assembly conduct on the fake ballot incident and what sanctions did it impose on those responsible? What steps does giving a fake ballot, casting a fake vote or attempting to do so require within the scope of the Parliament's Code of Procedure and disciplinary practices?" asked questions. Deputy Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Bekir Bozdağ responded to the proposal on behalf of Kurtulmuş.
HOW IS THE APPLICATION?
Bozdağ reminded that the deputies who could not enter the system during the voting or polling conducted with electronic devices in the General Assembly of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey participated in the voting and polling by submitting the ballots containing their name, surname, electoral district and signatures to the Presidency Council. He stated that there was a provision in the Memorandum of Understanding dated March 31, 2016 that "in polls and votes where the number of people entering the electronic devices cannot reach a sufficient number, the names of the MPs who sent ballot papers will be read and it will be determined whether they are in the general assembly or not." Bozdağ noted that in cases where the number of deputies entering the electronic device does not reach the quorum, the Presidency Council determines whether the deputies participating in the roll call or voting by ballot are present at the general assembly. However, he noted that there is a certain period of time between the sending of ballot papers by MPs for voting and polling and the determination of whether the MPs who sent these ballots are present at the general assembly. Pointing out that the MPs who sent ballot papers during this period may go backstage for any reason or leave the general assembly altogether, Bozdağ said, "In such cases, if it is determined that the MPs who sent ballot papers are not in the general assembly, the ballots of these MPs are not taken into account in voting or polling."
'NO REGULATION'
Bozdağ evaluated, "On the other hand, there is no regulation in the internal regulations regarding the situation of the deputies who were not present at the general assembly during the determination made after sending the ballot." In the open vote held at the meeting dated June 18, 2026, where the Law Proposal Concerning the Approval of the Intergovernmental Agreement on Renewable Energy Power Plant Projects signed between Turkey and Saudi Arabia was discussed in the General Assembly of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, after the time given for voting expired and the list of MPs who had logged in to the electronic device was received, the Presidency Council determined whether the MPs who participated in the vote with a ballot were present in the general assembly or not, and the ballots of the MPs who were not in the general assembly were deemed invalid. noted. Bozdağ reminded that the meeting was closed because the meeting quorum was not found as a result of the voting.
