Turkey: 30,000 Syrians eligible to vote on Sunday

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(Ziya Koseoglu/CHP Press Service via AP, Pool). Muharrem Ince, the presidential candidate of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party, takes a selfie pictures during a rally of his supporters in Gaziantep, eastern Turkey, Monday, June 18, 201... (Ziya Koseoglu/CHP Press Service via AP, Pool). Muharrem Ince, the presidential candidate of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party, takes a selfie pictures during a rally of his supporters in Gaziantep, eastern Turkey, Monday, June 18, 201...
(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis). A supporter of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), chants slogans during a gathering in Istanbul, Monday, June 18, 2018. Turkey holds parliamentary and presidential electi... (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis). A supporter of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), chants slogans during a gathering in Istanbul, Monday, June 18, 2018. Turkey holds parliamentary and presidential electi...
(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis). A man holding a Turkish flag chants slogans in Istanbul, Monday, June 18, 2018. Turkey holds parliamentary and presidential elections on June 24, 2018, deemed important as it will transform Turkey's governing system to an... (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis). A man holding a Turkish flag chants slogans in Istanbul, Monday, June 18, 2018. Turkey holds parliamentary and presidential elections on June 24, 2018, deemed important as it will transform Turkey's governing system to an...
(Presidency Press Service via AP, Pool). Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, addresses supporters of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) during an election rally for the upcoming June 24, elections, in Samsun, Turkey on Monday, June 18,... (Presidency Press Service via AP, Pool). Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, addresses supporters of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) during an election rally for the upcoming June 24, elections, in Samsun, Turkey on Monday, June 18,...
(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis). Election banners of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, fly over a market in Istanbul, Monday, June 18, 2018. Turkey holds parliamentary and presidential elections on June 24, 2018, deemed important as it will transf... (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis). Election banners of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, fly over a market in Istanbul, Monday, June 18, 2018. Turkey holds parliamentary and presidential elections on June 24, 2018, deemed important as it will transf...

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim is quoted as saying that 30,000 Syrians who acquired Turkish nationality are eligible to vote in Sunday's presidential and parliamentary elections.

The Hurriyet newspaper and other media said Yildirim made the comments Tuesday in the city of Izmir.

Turkey, which is hosting 3.5 million Syrian refugees, announced in 2016 that it would begin granting citizenship to Syrians.

Meanwhile, voting at Turkish diplomatic missions abroad for expatriate Turks ends Tuesday, with orange sealed bags carrying votes already arriving in Turkey. Voting at border gates and airports will continue until all polls close Sunday afternoon.

The country's official Anadolu news agency said 41 percent of the more than 3 million registered expatriate voters have cast their ballots so far.

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