Erdoğan’s statement on Sezgin Tanrıkulu: This insult will not go unpunished

AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan answered journalists' questions on the plane while returning from India, where he attended the G20 Leaders' Summit.

"WE WILL HAVE A SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT PROCESS REGARDING INFLATION, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THIS"

The questions asked and Erdoğan's responses are as follows:

The Medium-Term Program (OVP), which sets out Turkey's 3-year roadmap for the economy, has been announced. Foreign investors were also keeping a close eye on the OVP. The initial statements are positive. The World Bank even announced that it has increased the investment volume allocated for Turkey. Fitch upgraded Turkey's credit rating outlook. It is expected that a rating upgrade will follow if current economic policies are maintained. How do you evaluate the statements made by foreign institutions?

I believe that with the policies we are implementing, we will gain investor confidence very strongly. Our biggest advantage here is the broad ownership of the program. We have announced a three-pillar program. The first pillar is, of course, that despite the earthquake, we will maintain fiscal discipline while healing the wounds of the earthquake. Our deficits will be high for 2-3 years, but after that, we will very easily meet the Maastricht Criteria. Our debt-to-GDP ratio is already quite low. The second issue is the fight against inflation, that is, the disinflation program... There is a very clear roadmap for this as well. There are many measures we have taken towards this, such as monetary policy, namely quantitative tightening and selective credit tightening. It will take time for these to be effective. The effect of measures taken in monetary policy is delayed. Therefore, this process is the same in all countries; it will take some time. That is why we need to be a little patient. By this time next year, we will hopefully see very clearly that inflation has permanently decreased. The third issue is, of course, structural reforms... Structural reforms will strongly support fiscal policy and monetary policy. I believe that Turkey's credit rating will inevitably have to be upgraded very significantly in the coming period. Because Turkey's indicators will very clearly deserve a credit rating far beyond the current one over time. Fund inflows to Turkey will begin strongly. We will have a somewhat difficult process regarding inflation; we acknowledge this.

We have set out our permanent solutions and comprehensive roadmap for the fight against inflation and a strong economy with the Medium-Term Program. This roadmap includes the timeline and methods for reforms in the areas of price stability, financial stability, human capital, employment, green and digital solutions, disaster management, public finance, and the business and investment environment. On the other hand, our country offers attractive opportunities for foreign investors with its stable administration, commitment to democracy, and opportunities for establishing and doing business. Our investment and export-oriented growth policy will also attract international capital to Turkey. The reform-oriented steps we have taken in every field for 21 years have also been an indicator of how seriously we take our work. All of this has shown foreign investors that the trust placed in Turkey has not been in vain. All investors who trust Turkey and believe in us have gained through the steps we have taken and will take.

"THE MEETINGS WITH THE UAE AND SAUDI ARABIA WERE VERY, VERY PRODUCTIVE"

What kind of period awaits Turkey in economic terms in the coming months? What are the steps to be taken regarding the fight against inflation?

Together with disinflation, we will hopefully break the back of inflation; we have no concerns about this. The Medium-Term Program has created a very, very positive echo not only in our country but also in the world, and with this echo created by the Medium-Term Program, a different vitality has come and is coming to the markets. Also, credit flow from abroad to Turkey is hopefully starting. Both the meeting we held here with Saudi Arabia and the meetings we held with the United Arab Emirates were very, very productive. Hopefully, the agreements we have made will attract very significant investments to Turkey and will also increase cash inflows, God willing.

Bright days await Turkey in the coming days. We have prevented exorbitant price increases in some sectors. We will also bring price increases under control in all sectors. With the uncompromising operation of the mechanism that will stop exorbitant price increases, inflation will enter a rapid decline. We are ensuring this right now. In 21 years, we have provided Turkey with a strong economic and financial structure. Although global and regional reasons, and finally the disaster of the century we experienced, brought difficulties in the economy, the measures we took in a timely manner have started to yield results. We also know that the decisions and measures taken will not yield quick results. There is a transition process, a process of slowing down, stopping, and reversing inflation. Everything is currently under control; with policies carried out in a balanced way and structural reforms, we will bring Turkey back to single-digit inflation. In the coming period, a picture of a Turkey that has curbed inflation, ensured price stability, and developed with investment-employment-production and employment-based growth policies will emerge. We are the cadres who introduced this country to single-digit inflation and who fight inflation the best. With our work focused on investment, employment, production, and exports, we will reach our goals in a short time. We have started to get positive results from our work. I believe that we will implement permanent solutions with the new steps we will take. Our Turkey Century vision and the many steps we will take to reach it will also make Turkey's star shine in the economic field. It will bring our citizens to the permanent and sustainable prosperity increase they deserve.

"WE WILL RESCUE OUR CITIES THAT HAVE FALLEN INTO THE HANDS OF THE CHP WITH THE CLEAN VOTES OF THE NATION"

Ekrem İmamoğlu had said that if Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu continued to lead the party, Istanbul could be lost. However, he is now a candidate. Akşener also made a statement that they would field candidates in all 81 provinces, including Istanbul and Ankara, and that they are prepared to lose. There are assessments that "the opposition is currently talking about losing, not winning." What would you say about these statements?

They are already making their own assessments among themselves. What does the Chairman say? He says, 'Not a table of six, but a table of sixteen if necessary.' I mean, if he talked a little more, it would have been a table of one hundred and sixty-six. But the table collapsed. It collapsed badly. These mayors were also at that table. They all became Vice Presidents. The point reached is obvious... We have no such concern. We have also served as mayors in Istanbul and Ankara. What is the quality and level of our municipal administration? The people of Istanbul know this very well, the people of Ankara know this very well. On the other hand, look at Izmir. You see the state of Izmir's municipal administration. Izmir is currently experiencing a disaster. Unfortunately, my citizens living there in Turkey are saying 'enough is enough.' Look at Adana, look at Mersin, it's the same. In Antalya, there was a period after Menderes Bey. Unfortunately, it is terrible. Those who live there know what the service provided in these places is. This business is not done with words, with talking. This business is not done by stamping a seal. What kind of seal? In which flood disaster did you put on your boots and come to fight the flood disaster? They have no such concern. Therefore, the biggest decision-making authority here is the people of Istanbul, the people of Ankara, and I believe that my nation will make the best and most binding decision in all these places, be it Adana, Antalya, or Mersin. One cannot go further with these. As a government for 21 years, we are competing with ourselves to break our own records. The AK Party is a party that competes with itself and competes in service. The opposition, on the other hand, consists of parties competing for rent and seats. The situation of the CHP's comical chairman is no different. He, too, went around with dreams of a seat and finally brought the matter to the point of slamming tables to protect his current seat. The schemes they plotted at the table of 9 they established before the general elections are just now coming to light. Our entire nation saw the bargaining that went on at the table and who was kicking whom under the table, and they will see more. They say one thing in the morning and another in the evening. They speak differently in Izmir, differently in Ankara, differently in Diyarbakır, and differently in Erzurum. That is why it is necessary to wait and see what they will do rather than what they say. My nation has now seen their true face. A great and strong country like Turkey does not deserve an opposition in the hands of such incompetent people. An opposition whose only concern is rent and seats will be of no benefit to our country and our citizens. Even though they lost every election they entered, their statements that "we are successful" show that they do not take their work seriously and are mocking their voters. Those who make the statement that we are successful are not looking at the full side of the glass or anything. They are naive enough not to realize that their glasses are empty. We believe that in the local elections, we will rescue our cities that have fallen into the hands of the CHP with the clean votes of the nation and give them to the People's Alliance. For this, we will work hard without falling into complacency and win both the hearts of the nation and the election.

HARSH REACTION TO SEZGİN TANRIKULU

CHP MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu had previously targeted UAVs and armed UAVs and even threatened to put Selçuk Bayraktar on trial. Most recently, Tanrıkulu made scandalous statements targeting the Turkish Armed Forces in a television program he attended. He slandered that the TSK threw 15 villagers from a helicopter, burned villages, and bombed them. An investigation has also been launched into this matter. How do you evaluate a politician, especially an MP belonging to Turkey's main opposition party, making such statements?

First of all, this person is not a patriot, not a nationalist. This person, first of all, is one of those who walk hand in hand with the PKK terrorist organization, the YPG, and the HDP. Didn't they do the same things together with their chairmen, of course? Didn't they walk from Ankara to Istanbul with the representatives of terrorist organizations? But this person whose name you mentioned is someone who has done all of these things, from attending the funeral ceremonies of terrorists to walking with those on the mountains. I believe that in this election, my citizens will no longer say 'walk' to them on a local basis. I believe they will cut their leash. That is what I think. This is nothing but vile slander by those who have no connection, near or far, to the nation and the nation's values. They have not tired of slandering the Turkish Armed Forces, which does not even persecute its enemies, with constant 'throw mud so it leaves a mark' type statements. It is also thought-provoking that a person who is an enemy of the Mehmetçik (Turkish soldier) and the nation is a member of Turkey's second-largest party. While greetings and support were being sent from Qandil to the CHP and its candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu during the election, this person was greeting the organization from the village where the terrorist organization was founded, with a CHP identity. This nation has not forgotten that solidarity between the CHP and the terrorist organization, and it gave its answer at the ballot box. This person will pay the price for slandering the world's most honorable and bravest army before the law. This cowardly insult and slander against our Turkish Armed Forces, whose bravery is praised even by its enemies, will not go unpunished.

"THE CONSTITUTION IS OUR INDISPENSABLE"

You are calling for a new constitution again. There was no positive response from the opposition to the call you made two years ago. Do you expect the opposition to give a positive response to this in the new conjuncture? What kind of method, what kind of roadmap do you propose for this? For example, can a commission be re-established with the participation of the parties represented in the Parliament, as in 2011 and 2015?

We will undoubtedly take our proposals to the parties in Parliament, as we did in 2011 and 2015. But before all else, as the People's Alliance, we will make our preliminary preparations, and after making these preliminary preparations, we will strive to mature this issue with those who have groups in Parliament. Because the constitution is our indispensable. I mean, it is not possible for us to put this aside. As of now, our group in parliament will hold meetings with other groups, and if we can take a step together, if we can make such a civilian constitution jointly, this will be our step. What are the deficiencies? What are they not? We will review these and hopefully continue these efforts with the commissions we will establish. Our view on coups and our stance against coup constitutions are like a summary of our political life. Our desire to provide our country with a civilian constitution has become an action of our politics, beyond a dream. In 21 years, we have strengthened the physical structure of Turkey's judiciary and constantly reinforced its human resources. We want to crown all these achievements with a civilian constitution and build the Turkey Century with a civilian constitution. Turkey no longer deserves to be governed by a constitution that is a product of the coup era. It suits Turkey to make a new, civilian, and libertarian constitution. While shaping the arithmetic of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, the nation also gave the message to the parties: "Reach a consensus and make a new constitution now." It is possible to make a new constitution on the floor of the Parliament with the broadest possible consensus, by also taking the opinions of all segments of civil society. Our desire is to prepare the civilian constitution with the broadest participation and consensus. With the opening of the legislative year, we as the People's Alliance will focus on this issue.

News Source: 12punto