"Because of the elections the EU work may stall a little," Mr Ecevit told reporters at Ankara airport on his way to Istanbul for a meeting of Turkey's National Security Council. Ailing Mr Ecevit, 77, has made it clear over and over again that he does not want early elections. Opposition parties claim that he is unable to do his job, and that Turkey needs a new government. But after defections and resignations had stripped him of ministerial and parliamentary strength, Mr Ecevit relented, agreeing with his coalition partners to elections in November. Then he suggested that he was not in favour of elections, pointing out that the most popular party was one commonly described as pro-Islamist. Although he now seems resigned to elections, his comments on Europe show his reluctance. In another development, reports from Turkey say that at least 18 people are now known to have died in rainstorms and flooding in the north, east and centre of the country over the past two days. Officials said most of the deaths occurred on the country's Black Sea coast, where floodwater turned streets into rivers in the northern cities of Rize and Tokat.