Erdoğan speaks at Atatürk Commemoration Ceremony: 'We oppose insulting expressions toward Mustafa Kemal'

AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the Atatürk Commemoration Ceremony held at the Atatürk Supreme Council for Culture, Language and History on the 87th anniversary of the passing of the founder of the Republic of Turkey, the Great Leader Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Delivering a speech there, Erdoğan stated, "We see that in recent times, there is a desire to bring to the agenda destructive debates that scratch at social fault lines regarding our national days. Just as we oppose those who wear an Atatürk mask to show hostility toward this nation and its values, we are equally opposed to insulting expressions directed at Gazi Mustafa Kemal."

Continuing his speech, Erdoğan targeted the opposition with the words, "Even though they return empty-handed from their tours of complaining about Turkey abroad, the damage they have caused to our country's reputation is evident."

Erdoğan, who had previously put forward the claim that 'we could not produce straight pins,' repeated the same words, saying, "Now we are making cannons, we are making tanks."

Highlights from Erdoğan's speech:

"Our state's first President, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, laid the foundations of the new Turkey after a struggle with difficulties and obstacles. We see that in recent times, there is a desire to bring to the agenda destructive, abrasive debates that scratch at social fault lines regarding our national days. Those who ignore our glorious history in the name of exalting our Republic and those who try to trivialize the 102-year experience of the Republic serve the same purpose.

The greatest victim of social tension, fueled by social media, is Atatürk, his memories, and his works. We are against those who damage the nation's values by wearing an Atatürk mask in media, social media, and politics. There is no freedom of thought with a club in hand. Our national, spiritual, and cultural values are the cement that holds us together. We cannot tolerate these being eroded. Gazi Mustafa Kemal had set a barrier against the debates that are now being stirred up. Atatürk declared the Republic of Turkey, which is our common work, a century ago as his greatest and most lasting work. It is necessary to protect his work, to develop it, and to add new successes to it. Those who work, produce, and sweat for a fully independent Turkey can truly own his legacy.

Whatever they said was impossible, whatever they said 'you cannot do,' we have brought them all to life one by one. We have demonstrated many times over 23 years how one serves the Republic. We see that in recent times, there is a desire to bring to the agenda destructive debates that scratch at social fault lines regarding our national days.

HE TARGETS THE OPPOSITION AGAIN

It is seen that those who identify their political past with the Republic when it comes to talk have been failing a bad test for the last few months. Even though they return empty-handed from their tours of complaining about Turkey abroad, the damage they have caused to our country's reputation is evident. If we have our UAVs today, if we are exporting our KAANs today, if we have made our aircraft competitive with the world, it means we have fired a competitive flare to the world with our latest tanks and cannons.

ERDOĞAN AGAIN SAID 'WE COULD NOT PRODUCE STRAIGHT PINS'

"How does one serve the Republic?" We have demonstrated this many times over 23 years. At one time, we couldn't even produce a straight pin. Now we are making cannons, we are making tanks. Today, it is exporting over 7 billion dollars in defense. The whole world speaks with praise about the successes of the Turkish defense industry."