President Erdoğan: The july 15 symbolizes the people’s fight in defense of the state
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed local administrators at a gathering at the Presidential Complex.
“In the last 16 years, Turkey has made great progress in fusing the Republic and the people. The Republic no longer belongs to the elite. It now belongs to the people, which is a historic achievement for our future,” President Erdoğan said. “In our era, we united the state and the people around the same goals, ideals and endeavors. This strong union foiled so many attacks beginning with the Gezi incidents, continuing with the attempt on December 17-25 and peaking with the treason on July 15.”
“That night, citizens from every walk of the life took to the streets and, setting aside their political views, defended their future at the cost of their lives. The July 15 symbolizes not only the rise of the national will but also the people’s fight in defense of the state. On the night of July 15, our district governors proved their allegiance to their state, people and democracy,” President Erdoğan underlined.
“WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY EMBRACE ALL THE TREASURES THAT FLOURISH ON THESE LANDS”
“The value we attach to both modern arts as well as to traditional arts is a matter of common knowledge. Just as we have never discriminated among our artists, we have not discriminated among types of arts, either. Without distinction, we have wholeheartedly embraced all the treasures that flourished on these lands including Nazım Hikmet, Necip Fazıl, Sezai Karakoç, İdris Küçükömer, Evliya Çelebi, Ahmed-i Hâni, the late Müslüm Gürses, the late Neşet Ertaş, aka ‘Plectrum of the Steppe’.”
“OUR LOCAL ADMINISTRATORS HAVE MORE POWERS UNDER THE PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT”
Noting that their ethos of government is based on ensuring people’s welfare and prosperity, President Erdoğan stated that our civilization holds administrators accountable for every single deed across our country and said: “According to our civilization, it is the administrator that is to be held accountable in the event that ‘a wolf catches a sheep on the bank of Euphrates’. That’s why I want you to be with our people 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. If a district governor does not know the shortcomings, needs and problems of every single residence in his/her district, then he/she is not duly performing his/her duty.”
President Erdoğan continued his speech as follows: “There is no obstacle we cannot overcome with our local administrators who are in love with their citizens, loyal to their state, far-sighted, wise, gallant, compassionate, trustworthy, adroit and decent. With the Presidential System of Government, our local administrators now have more powers, which entails significant responsibilities. We promise our people that we will govern more swiftly and efficiently in the new era, which we will do through you.”
