President Erdogan speaks following the cabinet meeting
President Erdogan addresses various issues in a public statement following a cabinet meeting, including defense achievements, economic policies, and international relations, emphasizing efforts to combat hate crimes and reduce inflation while also addressing concerns over terrorism
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the public following a cabinet meeting today, touching upon various topics ranging from defense achievements to economic policies and international relations.
He began by congratulating TUSAS (Turkish Aerospace Industries) and the Presidency of Defense Industries for the successful second flight of the national combat aircraft KAAN, which has brought pride to the nation twice since the beginning of the year.
President Erdogan highlighted the significant increase in trade volume with African countries, which has now reached $37 billion.
Acknowledging the role of Turkish graduates in advancing relations with African nations, he emphasized their contributions to promoting Turkish products and repaying the debt of gratitude to their homeland.
"Opposition parties' concern is neither Türkiye nor Turkish"
Addressing the issue of racism propagated on social media, President Erdogan reaffirmed the state's commitment to combat hate crimes and emphasized that patriotism does not entail mistreating refugees who seek shelter in Türkiye.
"The fact that opposition circles also exhibit radical fascism through some rhetoric and actions is truly distressing for Turkish politics. The recent resurgence of Arabophobia reveals the same mindset behind this illness. I openly declare that their concern is neither Türkiye nor Turkish; they are merely pitiful individuals attempting to satisfy their egos by constantly directing their internal malaise and hatred towards others," he said.
Commenting on recent disturbances during May Day celebrations in Istanbul's Sarachane Square, President Erdogan criticized the actions of marginal groups that seek to undermine political stability and social harmony.
Decisive action on counterterrorism
Regarding counterterrorism efforts, President Erdogan expressed Türkiye's expectation for Iraq to officially declare PKK as a terrorist organization, echoing similar calls for Syria. He addressed as follows:
"After 13 years, our visit to Iraq with a broad delegation holds historical significance in terms of both its outcomes and the messages it conveyed. During our meetings with President Sait and the Prime Minister of Iraq, we thoroughly discussed topics on our common agenda, including security, transportation, and water, and concluded our visit by signing 27 agreements across various sectors.
With the signing of the quadruple agreement in the Development Road Project that will determine the future of our region, we have crossed yet another critical threshold. We aim to elevate our current trade volume, which stands at $20 billion, to higher levels.
The Iraqi government's declaration of PKK as a banned organization marks a significant step in combating terrorism, and we have expressed our expectation for PKK to be recognized as a terrorist organization. We also expressed our solidarity with our Turkmen brothers during our meeting with them. Following our discussions in Baghdad, we had extremely fruitful, positive, and sincere consultations in Erbil."
He emphasized Türkiye's determination to tackle the PKK threat both domestically and across borders, particularly in Iraq and Syria.
President Erdogan also welcomed Hamas' announcement of accepting a cease-fire deal in Gaza with Ankara's efforts, urging Israel to take reciprocal steps and calling on Western actors to pressure the Israeli government.
German President Steinmeier's visit
Commitment to reduce inflation to single digits
In terms of economic policies, President Erdogan reaffirmed the government's commitment to reducing inflation to single digits through effective measures, aiming for sustainable economic growth rather than temporary relief.
He expressed optimism about a gradual decrease in inflation starting from the summer months and highlighted positive indicators such as the reduction of the current account deficit and record-breaking tourism revenues in the first three months of the year.
President Erdogan also mentioned the successful implementation of the Medium-Term Program, which has contributed to a significant decline in the country's risk premium.
Furthermore, he announced cost-saving measures in various sectors, including transportation, communication, education, and travel, as part of government efforts to increase efficiency in public spending.
Lastly, President Erdogan noted that the Ministry of National Education would announce tomorrow the details of teacher appointments, including subject distribution, application timelines, and procedures.
Source: Newsroom
