President Erdoğan: Turkey has given the whole world a democracy lesson with the high turnout in the elections
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan answered reporters’ questions on the way out of the Eyüp Sultan Mosque in Istanbul where he performed the Friday prayer.
“THE ELECTIONS ARE OVER BUT THE LEGAL PROCESS IS GOING ON”
Responding to a question on the March 31 local elections, President Erdoğan said the elections are over but the legal process is going on, and that the Supreme Election Council (YSK) will make the final decision for the elections. The President further stressed that it is only after the YSK’s decision that the entire process will be over.
Also referring to the statements from the U.S. and European countries on the elections, President Erdoğan said Turkey’s internal affairs are none of other countries’ business, and that similar objections have always been made in those countries. The President further stressed that Turkey has given the whole world a democracy lesson with the high turnout in the elections, which, he noted, reached 82-83 per cent.
VISIT TO RUSSIA
Also mentioning his visit to Russia on April 8, President Erdoğan stated that they will hold the Russian leg of this year’s High-Level Cooperation Council Meeting, adding that S-400 air defense systems will be one of the important items on the agenda. Citing the statements from the U.S. on the purchase of the S-400s, President Erdoğan noted: “We have already completed the process with regard to the S-400s, and are making our payments.” The President also pointed out that they have offered the U.S. to buy Patriots, but that the same conditions have not been provided by the U.S. for Patriots.
“THE FOURTH F-35 WILL BE DELIVERED TO TURKEY WITHIN A SHORT SPAN OF TIME”
Answering a question on F-35 fighter jets, President Erdoğan, noting that three of the jets have already been delivered, said that the fourth F-35 will also be delivered to Turkey within a short span of time, adding that a team of Turkish pilots led by a General are carrying out their works in the U.S.
