Statement from Erdoğan after cabinet meeting: Of course, we are aware of the difficulties being experienced

The Cabinet met today after a 2-week break. The meeting, chaired by President Erdoğan, lasted approximately 2.5 hours.

President Erdoğan made statements following the cabinet meeting.

Here are the highlights from Erdoğan's speech:

Following our previous cabinet meeting on February 12, we visited the UAE and Egypt. Our visits, made at the invitation of the heads of state of both countries, were quite productive, sincere, and successful. We attended the World Government Summit held in Dubai, where we were invited as the guest of honor. In addition to President Sheikh Mohamed, we held meetings with other heads of state and government attending the summit. In Cairo, we held bilateral and inter-delegation meetings with President Mr. Sisi. We discussed the Palestinian issue in particular, in detail.

We discussed the joint steps we can take to stop the massacre in Gaza and ensure the smooth delivery of aid. Hopefully, we will host Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in our country tomorrow to consult on these issues. We carried out a Black Sea program that continued with Samsun, Ordu, Giresun, and Trabzon. Thank goodness, the Black Sea embraced us with affection, as it always does. My brother Ilham Aliyev paid a visit to our country on February 19 following his election victory. The next day, we were at the drawing ceremony for judicial judges and public prosecutors, and administrative judges. After the drawing ceremony, we hosted the President of Albania and his delegation. We continued our election rallies in Afyonkarahisar, Denizli, Balıkesir, Sakarya, and Adana.

4 THOUSAND 700 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE ANTALYA DIPLOMACY FORUM

We continued our election rallies in Afyonkarahisar, Denizli, Balıkesir, Sakarya, and Adana. I would like to thank all my brothers and sisters who filled the squares once again from here. We opened the Sirkeci-Kazlıçeşme rail system, which we see as a new breath for Istanbul traffic, to service. We continued our rally marathon with Manisa, Kütahya, and Aydın. In Kütahya, we also attended the opening ceremonies of our city hospital. We dedicated the first day of March to the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Approximately 4 thousand 700 people attended our forum, which was held for the third time this year. Within the scope of the forum, we came together with 11 heads of state and government. We have seen once again, on the occasion of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, that Turkey's successes are met with interest in different corners of the world.

"WE HAVE DELIVERED 46 THOUSAND HOUSES AND VILLAGE HOMES SO FAR"

There are unchanging agenda items that we keep at the top of our minds and hearts. The reconstruction of our cities that experienced the earthquake is one of them. We continue to work for life to return to its normal rhythm. So far, we have delivered 46 thousand houses and village homes to our citizens. Hopefully, by the end of the year, we will have delivered 200 thousand houses and village homes to their rightful owners. Our goal is to complete this process smoothly without allowing a single citizen of ours to be aggrieved and without embarrassing anyone.

MESSAGE ON THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM

We are continuing the fight against terrorism with determination both inside and outside our borders. Hopefully, we will have permanently resolved the issue regarding our Iraqi borders this summer. Our goal of creating a security corridor 30 kilometers deep along the Syrian border remains valid. We have preparations that will cause new nightmares for those who think they can bring Turkey to its knees with a 'terroristan' they will establish along its southern borders. We will not refrain from pushing the conditions until those who still cannot understand the determination of our country and nation in the fight against terrorism accept this reality. Turkey is not a country consisting only of its own borders. It is the heart of a much larger geography from the Balkans, Central Asia, the Black Sea, North Africa, and the Aegean to South Asia. If you hear an expression somewhere asking 'what is it to us from here or there,' know that the person saying this is either profoundly ignorant or a voluntary or assigned 5th column element.

"WE DO NOT HAVE RESOURCES THAT WILL BRING UNREQUITED INCOME"

We do not have colonies. We do not have resources that will bring unrequited income. We have thousands of years of state experience, our national virtues that will make humanity admire us, and our capacity for work. We did not walk in a rose garden without thorns. We earned everything we have by scratching with our teeth and nails, and when necessary, by kneading it with our lives and blood. This is how we built our self-confidence that allows us to look to the future with confidence. Now, are we going to turn our backs on this magnificent heritage just because there are 3-5 issues waiting for a solution in front of us? Are we going to surrender to the imperialists and their tools who expect us to kneel because we need to fight more? No, never!

"WE WITNESSED HOW OUR AZERBAIJANI BROTHERS MADE KARABAKH FREE"

You see what is happening around us. We all witnessed together how our Azerbaijani brothers, after a long struggle, made both the occupied lands and Karabakh free. We are all following how the Russia-Ukraine war started, how it has come to this day, and where it is going. We know very well how Syria is being tried to be torn apart before our eyes.

"TURKEY WILL CONTINUE TO DO ITS BEST FOR PALESTINE"

It is clearly evident who paved the way for, provided support to, and even secretly rejoiced at the massacre in Gaza. As Turkey, we are trying to support our Gazan brothers with humanitarian aid and our sincere outcries. Turkey is doing its best for Gaza and Palestine, and it will continue to do so. The solution to the problem lies in ensuring effective and determined cooperation at the international level. There is a greater need than ever for the Islamic World to be one body. The first Jewish settlement building whose foundation will be laid in Gaza will be enough on its own to show that the reason for this brutality is nothing other than theft, immorality, and dishonor. The future of no country or its people that legitimizes the acts of extortion in Palestinian lands will be safe.

"WE HAVE INCREASED DEFENSE EXPORTS 4.5 TIMES IN 10 YEARS"

As Turkey and the Turkish nation, if we are not strong with our politics, economy, defense industry, army, social structure, and institutions, this is what will happen to us. Getting caught up in the excitement of daily troubles and ignoring this struggle means throwing the country into such a vortex. We need a little more time for the projects we have started to conclude and for the programs that will follow them to be implemented. Hopefully, we will all see those days together.

The place we have reached in the defense industry thanks to our 5th generation warplane Kaan has been talked about quite a lot in our country and in the world. Our defense industry moves were also on the agenda of our counterparts at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. We have increased the localization rate in the defense industry, which was at 20 percent, to over 80 percent. With over 850 projects, it has become one of the countries with the highest self-sufficiency in this field. By sharing the high-tech products we possess with friendly and allied countries, we have increased our defense exports by approximately 4.5 times in 10 years. Last year, we made exports by selling 230 types of products to 185 different countries of the world. By contributing to the needs of the armies of brotherly countries with land, sea, and air defense platforms, we have contributed to Turkey's power in the region and the world. When we look at our place in the world in defense industry exports, the picture that emerges is that we are among the top 3 countries in the world in SİHA (UCAV) technology with our TB2, Akıncı, Anka, and Aksungur vehicles.

"WE ARE IN THE TOP RANKS IN AMMUNITION AND MISSILE SYSTEMS"

To date, we have signed contracts for 770 UAVs with 50 countries. The export amount last year was 1.8 billion dollars. We broke a new record in export figures in the defense and aviation sector in the first two months of 2024. Our defense industry, which has turned into a world brand in land vehicles, exports approximately 4 thousand 500 tactical wheeled vehicles to 40 different countries on every continent. Last year, our land vehicle exports reached 500 million dollars. We are in the top ranks in ammunition and missile systems. Turkey, which produces its own ships in naval vessels, equips these ships with radars, sensors, communication systems, missiles, and torpedoes. We have realized 140 exports to 10 countries, such as the tank landing ship, landing ship tank, patrol and rapid intervention boats, and logistics support ship we produced.

5 of Hürkuş, which is Turkey's first manned training and close air support aircraft, are still used by the air forces of two different countries. In addition to the vehicles we produce, our weapon turret is preferred alongside foreign-origin vehicles. We have sold 1200 weapon turrets to 24 countries. Kamikaze UAVs are also among our products in demand. We have realized the export of 1500 kamikaze drones to 11 countries. Today, our light weapons and pistols are used in 111 different countries of the world. Turkey ranks among the top 3 in the world with its 40 radar exports to 10 countries. The customer for every product that our country has completed its design and production and put into service is already ready. As long as we work with patience, perseverance, attention, and determination to conclude our projects one by one.

"TURKEY IS GOING THROUGH A HISTORIC ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION"

We have experienced many times in the last 10 years that the institutions and countries we call our allies will not be by our side when we really need them. When our Syrian borders were threatened with rockets, there were those who dismantled and took away the existing air defense systems in our country. We have not forgotten, and we do not forget, that they gave the weapons and ammunition they did not sell to Turkey for money to terrorist organizations for free. We do not look at who says what or who wants what. We only look at what Turkey needs. Turkey is going through a historic economic transformation that will also shape its future. Every indicator announced points to our economy rising on strong foundations. Despite the disaster of the century, the February 6 earthquakes, and the election, our economy continued to grow at a rate of 4.5 percent, which is rarely seen in the world. This growth rate, which corresponds to 1.6 times the world average, proves the resilience and dynamism of our economy. It is also important that approximately half of the growth stems from investments. Turkey, which has become the 11th largest economy in the world according to purchasing power parity, will continue on its path by focusing on long-term permanent welfare increases. We are an administration that has provided an average employment increase of 700 thousand every year. We have reduced the unemployment rate to single-digit figures, which represents the lowest level of the last 10 years at 9.4 percent.

"THE DECLINE IN THE CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT CONTINUES"

We have not yet reached where we want to be in our fight against inflation, but we are determined. Just as we saved our country from inflation before, hopefully, we will show the same success this time. The decline in the current account deficit also continues. In the first 2 months of this year, we achieved an improvement of over 13 billion dollars in the current balance. As production increases, the current account deficit will decrease. Our tourism revenues are breaking records every year. Our target for this year in tourism, which we closed last year with 54.5 billion dollars, is 60 billion dollars.

"IS IT POSSIBLE TO CLOSE OUR EYES TO THE CURRENT DIFFICULTIES OF OUR RETIREES?"

We will continue to manage our fiscal policies with an understanding that will ensure permanent price stability, accelerate structural transformation, and create resources for our efforts for safe cities against disasters. While taking the biggest democracy and development steps in our Republican history, we realized the most positive developments with the lives of our employees and our retirees.

As a government that has increased the lowest pension to 10 thousand liras, the minimum wage to 17 thousand liras, the disability pension to approximately 4 thousand liras, and multiplied the welfare level of our nation in every field, is it possible to close our eyes to the current difficulties of our employees and our retirees? I explained with examples how the opposition, which says 'we will give this much raise to pensions' in recent days, is talking empty. We will not abandon our employees and our retirees to the clutches of the high cost of living. We will increase the incomes of our employees and our retirees by defeating inflation, sustaining growth, and increasing our national income. We will not leave any of our people in a difficult situation, and we will not allow them to suffer in plain sight. I especially request that our nation does not spare their support and prayers from us.

News Source: 12punto