President Erdoğan: We are preparing reforms that will strengthen our economy

 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a New Year message.

Stating that 2020 had been a year during which the world had been tested with many difficulties, particularly the coronavirus pandemic, President Erdoğan said: “The Covid-19 virus, which affected the entire world, went down in history as the biggest health crisis of the last century.”

“TURKEY GOT THROUGH THE MOST CRITICAL PHASE OF THE PANDEMIC WITH THE LEAST DAMAGE”

“Due to the pandemic, very serious challenges were faced in the world in every area depending on production and ranging from mask and breathing apparatus to consumables and medication,” President Erdoğan said, noting that Turkey got through the most critical phase of the pandemic with the least damage thanks to its strong healthcare infrastructure and the measures that were taken on time.

President Erdoğan said: “We successfully managed the process with our intensive care beds, number of which nears the total capacity in Europe, and our healthcare army which exceeds 1.1 million staff. We ushered in a new era in this area with two 1,008-bed emergency hospitals, whose construction we had completed in a very short span of time and which we had put into service. Again during that period, we consolidated our healthcare infrastructure by inaugurating 16 hospitals, which have 16,000 beds, and 10 additional service buildings. Thanks to the inclusivity of our social security system, our citizens did not face huge treatment bills, as was the case in some places. We provided every service, from test and diagnosis to treatment and medication, which was needed to fight the pandemic, to our citizens free of charge.”

“IT IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE THAT WE ABIDE BY THE MEASURES UNTIL THE PANDEMIC IS OVER”

Underscoring that many support and aid packages were put into use with the intention of easing the economic difficulties caused by the pandemic, President Erdoğan continued as follows: “We did not leave alone our tradesmen, farmers, manufacturers, industrialists, merchants; shortly any of our citizens who broke sweat and made every effort to make Turkey grow bigger and stronger. We kept our economy alive with special programmes we implemented for people from every walk of life. The amount of the financial support we provided to our nation within the social protection shield has approximated 45.5 billion liras. The total economic size of the support and packages we have thus far announced has reached the 10 percent of our national income. While successfully carrying out all these works inside our borders, we did not neglect our citizens abroad. We conducted the biggest evacuation operation of the history of our Republic and united more than 100 thousand citizens of ours from 141 countries with their families. We brought our 233 people, who did not have opportunity to receive treatment in places they lived, to Turkey by ambulance aircrafts.”

Recalling the medical supply support Turkey delivered to 156 countries and 11 international organizations, President Erdoğan went on to say: “Nevertheless, it seems that the effect of the coronavirus pandemic will continue for a while. We are preparing our country for this ambiguous future by attaching importance to vaccine supply and development works. The first batches of the vaccines developed abroad have started to arrive in our country. Following the tests, we will inshallah put them into service as soon as possible. It is of great importance that we abide by the measures of Hygiene, Mask and Distance, which we have sloganized as TAMAM, until the pandemic is over. I believe that we will overcome this scourge with Allah’s permission and blessing by obeying the rules all together as the 83 million.”

“TURKEY HAS NO PROBLEM WITH RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS”

“The Holy Quran always heralds us that, ‘With every difficulty, there is relief,’” said the President, and added: “Indeed, we, as the nation, have got a great number of good news from our Lord on these painful days during which we are fighting the coronavirus pandemic. On July 24, Friday, we felt with prayers and tears the happiness of reverting Hagia Sophia to its original identity in line with the will of Mehmet the Conqueror after many years of longing. Turkey not only eliminated a decades-long weirdness with the decision of re-opening of Hagia Sophia for worship, but also broke a chain that was put on its will. We have also shown it to the entire world with some of the steps we have taken as in the example of Sumela Monastery that our country has no problem with religious freedoms. I will be grateful to my Lord forever for bestowing on us the honor of, as master Necip Fazıl put it, ‘Opening Hagia Sophia like an august book.’ I once again wish that the re-opening of the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque will lead to auspicious results for our nation, the Ummah and the entire humanity.”      

President Erdoğan further stressed: “We got another good news from the Black Sea. We discovered the biggest natural gas reserve of our history in the Black Sea with a reserve of 405 billion cubic meters. We will hopefully get good news from the drilling works we carry out in the Eastern Mediterranean as well. The victories achieved in Libya and the Nagorno-Karabakh were among other welcome developments in 2020. The support we provided to our Libyan brothers and sisters at the invitation of the legal government thwarted the imperialist hopes in Libya. We paved the way for a political resolution in this country by saving Tripoli from falling into the hands of putschists.”

“WE STAND WITH OUR AZERBAIJANI BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT EVERY STEP THEY TAKE”

“Thanks be to Allah, Nagorno-Karabakh and the Azerbaijani lands that had been under occupation were liberated after 30 years thanks to our country’s material and spiritual support. We as Turkey closely follow the developments in Karabakh and stand with our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters at every step they take. I once again remember from here with grace the Libyan and Azerbaijani martyrs who gallantly fought for their countries, lands and independence. I wish that the Nagorno-Karabakh victory will lead to auspicious results for our nation, the Turkish world and all the Azerbaijani Turks,” President Erdoğan noted.

President Erdoğan stated: “Despite the restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic across the world, we tried to make the best of 2020 with important programmes, works and services on the path to serving our country and nation. At home, we paid a total of 25 visits to the 18 provinces of ours. Outside the country, we paid 14 visits to 12 countries on behalf of our country and nation. In addition to that, we attended many programmes and held many meetings and talks in Ankara and Istanbul. Furthermore, we participated via videoconference in many international meetings, from G20 Summit to the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, whose President was Mr. Volkan Bozkır. Besides protecting the interests of country, we raised the rising Islamophobia in the West at all the meetings we participated in. We continued during this period as well to provide the investments and services, each of which is a cornerstone on our country’s journey of development.”

“WE FELT THE EXCITEMENT OF INTRODUCING MANY INVESTMENTS IN OUR COUNTRY”

President Erdoğan continued as follows: “We felt the excitement of introducing many investments, from defense industry, culture and arts and agriculture to foreign trade, transportation and energy, in our country. We as the state ran to the help of our citizens with all our means during the natural disasters our country suffered. We did not allow the smallest shortcoming, injustice or delay in terms of both removing wreckages and compensating for losses. We consider the 6.7 percent growth rate, which we achieved in the third quarter, to be the signs of these efforts of ours, the success of country during this period and the strong potential of our country in the new period.”

“We are preparing reforms that will strengthen our economy and raise the bar for our democracy and rights and freedoms. In the new year, we will hopefully present to our nation our comprehensive reform programmes, the final arrangements of which we are currently undertaking,” the President stressed.

President Erdoğan said: “I ask each and every individual of my nation to abide by the rules every day and at every moment of their lives, on new year’s Eve in particular and support our country’s struggle to overcome this scourge of pandemic as soon as possible. May my Lord help and guide us! With these thoughts, I remember with grace our brothers and sisters who passed away in the period behind, due to the pandemic, earthquakes, avalanche and flood disasters in particular, and our gallant martyrs who marched towards death without batting an eye for our country’s survival, and wish welfare to our veterans. I wish that the new year will bring security, serenity, happiness, health and prosperity to our country, region and our world. I once again extend my greetings and respect to you all.”