President Erdoğan to CHP: They have no problem with our mosque courtyards being turned into taverns

AKP Chairman and President Erdoğan made assessments regarding the agenda following the Cabinet Meeting. Erdoğan also made new statements about the CHP and the call for street protests, stating, "We will continue to watch with a smile the game that the CHP is playing all by itself."

Here are the highlights of President Erdoğan's statements:

The heated debates experienced in recent weeks have shown that European security is not possible without Turkey. They realize the importance of relations with Turkey. We read these as promising developments for the future of Turkey-EU relations. Turkey is ready to advance its relations with European countries and the union within the framework of common interests and mutual respect. Of course, this is not a will that Turkey can exhibit alone. It is essential that our counterparts share the same will. I believe that the strategic approach Turkey consistently follows will guide the policies of our European counterparts.

WE SEE IT AS A VALUABLE STEP

As Turkey, we have positioned ourselves in the right place in the Ukraine-Russia war. We did not fall for anyone's incitement, especially the opposition in our country. We maintained an attitude that gave confidence to both countries. We emphasized on every platform that there are no winners in war. We desire for the war, which is entering its 4th year, to end with a just peace without further bloodshed or destruction. We see Russia's partially positive approach to the US's 30-day ceasefire proposal as a modest but valuable step on the path to peace.

WE CELEBRATED NEVRUZ WITH GREAT ENTHUSIASM

We celebrated Nevruz, the festival of abundance and prosperity that heralds spring, with great enthusiasm. Apart from a few negative images, no unpleasant events occurred that saddened, disturbed, or offended our nation. We had a more peaceful Nevruz compared to previous years. At the program organized by our party in Istanbul, we shared in the excitement of our nation, our geography, and the Turkic world. We wish for Nevruz to be celebrated as an official holiday. We will propose it as a common commemoration and celebration day for the Turkic world at the upcoming summit. Of course, we do not approve of some images from the Nevruz events. We find the fact that this year's celebrations were carried out without tension, incidents, or violence to be very meaningful for the unity and solidarity of our nation.

THEY ARE ENGAGING IN DEMAGOGY OVER COTTON CANDY

The main opposition is making an issue out of a police officer paying for cotton candy out of his own pocket and giving it to a child from a disabled citizen. Those who embrace those who attack our police with stones, sticks, and Molotov cocktails are now harping on our police offering cotton candy to a child. They are shamelessly engaging in demagogy over cotton candy. They have no problem with the police being attacked with stones, Molotov cocktails, acid, or axes. They have no concern about shopkeepers' stores, windows, or frames being smashed. They have no problem with the courtyards of our historic mosques being turned into taverns, excuse my language.

WE ARE DETERMINED TO RID OURSELVES OF THE TERROR SCOURGE

But it bothers them that our police distributed cotton candy to our children during the Nevruz holiday. I believe this inconsistency and great contradiction are being noted by our nation and especially by our Kurdish brothers. This fascist language has lost time before the nation and is doomed to lose from now on. As we approach the goal of a terror-free Turkey, it is understood that we will witness such delusions more often. We are determined to rid ourselves of the terror scourge that has been draining the blood and resources of our nation for forty years.

IT IS OUR DUTY TO DEFEND THE POLITICS OF LOVE

We carry the trust of 85 million people, including Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Sunnis, Alevis, Circassians, and Laz. We are governing Turkey, one of the largest, most powerful, and brightest countries in the world. It is our duty to defend embracing instead of polarization, solidarity instead of fighting, and the politics of love instead of the politics of hatred. We will not refrain from elevating the universal language of affection, peace, and brotherhood. Without paying attention to those who spread discord and hatred, we will continue to transform Nevruz, which symbolizes the arrival of spring with its abundance and prosperity, into an occasion to embrace each other with new hope in the future.

THEY HAVE SIGNED STATEMENTS DEVOID OF LAW

We have observed with dismay as a nation the events that emerged following the street protest call made by the main opposition party leader after an Istanbul-based corruption operation, which quickly turned into acts of violence. Due to the attacks by marginal organizations and urban bandits, 153 of our security personnel were injured in 5 days. I congratulate our security forces, who performed their duties with patience and composure despite all kinds of provocations, and I thank them. The main opposition leaders have displayed a great example of unconsciousness. Instead of responding to allegations of corruption, extortion, favoritism, and bribery, they have signed the most base, low-level statements devoid of morality and law.

WE ARE WATCHING THE GAME THE CHP IS PLAYING ALL BY ITSELF WITH A SMILE

The sole responsibility for the police officers injured in the vandals' attacks and the billions of liras of public property damaged lies with the main opposition party leader who called for street protests and his cohorts. The political account of this will be asked in Parliament, and the legal account will be asked before the judiciary. What we have witnessed in the last 5 days has shown one truth. A great country like Turkey has a main opposition party that is very small, primitive, and incompetent in terms of foresight, vision, and quality. It has been revealed once again that these people cannot be entrusted with even a municipal kiosk, let alone the state or local governments. 32 years after the İSKİ scandal, they have given this nation a sense of déjà vu. We saw for ourselves yesterday what kind of theater has been played for years under the guise of elections. It has been proven once again that the CHP's understanding of democracy cannot go one step beyond the comedy of open voting and secret counting. We will continue to watch with a smile the game that the CHP, which reminds the 85 million once again that they have not changed a bit despite the 80 years that have passed, is playing all by itself.

DO NOT UNLEASH MARGINAL LEFTIST ORGANIZATIONS ON OUR POLICE

I have called out several times before: stop disturbing the peace of our citizens with provocations. If you have the courage, account for the corruption, theft, bribes taken, and irregularities committed. If you are fully vouching for the allegations in the ongoing investigation and the people arrested, come out and say it clearly like a man. If you have no intention of doing so, do not stir up the nation in vain. Do not unleash the marginal leftist organizations, whose mentality you have adopted along with their slogans, on our police.

WE DO NOT WANT TO LOSE OUR HOPE

They shout so loudly that they are actually confessing through their body language that they do not believe in the work they do, the words they say, or the attitude they display. The slightest trace of the stance of people who believe in their words and actions is not present in them. We are familiar with this hypocrisy from the organizations that have been inflicted upon our country, including FETÖ, and from international actors who lie to our faces. Their show will also end when the curtain falls. If they have even a shred of respect left when they look back, I believe they will feel ashamed of the harm they have done to the country. Although we have never witnessed honorable behavior from them to date, we do not want to lose our hope.

TURKEY DOES NOT HAVE A SINGLE MINUTE TO LOSE

Turkey does not have a single minute to lose. The main opposition party cadres can continue to eat each other, which is what they do best, in the words of their former leader. We are only looking at our work and focusing on serving our nation. We are focusing on building a strong Turkey with its economy, security, defense, and democratic justice. We will work harder, produce more, and not only solve today's problems but also prepare Turkey very strongly for the world of tomorrow. The CHP's reaction to the corruption operation, which disregards the law, has caused baseless artificial fluctuations in the economy along with other areas. When the illusion disappears, it will be understood that what happened was meaningless.

WE WILL NEVER ALLOW IT

We will never allow any harm to come to the gains in the economic policy we are implementing. We have reached historically low current account deficit and unemployment rates, strengthened fiscal discipline, and brought inflation under control. We have strengthened the Central Bank's reserves. Furthermore, we have started to heal the wounds of the February 6 earthquakes rapidly. We achieved all these successes with great effort, patience, and determination. We will continue to implement our economic program with the same perseverance and determination. Our Ministry of Treasury and Finance, our Central Bank, and relevant institutions are working in full coordination day and night with sound implementation and our strong support. From now on, all necessary measures will be taken with a proactive and flexible approach. Our institutions have both the authority and the will to ensure the healthy functioning of the markets. We have successfully managed the recent market volatility by using the tools at our disposal effectively. We have made its effects limited and temporary.

WE HAVE EMERGED FROM MANY AMBUSHES UNSCATHED

We will not surrender to the ambitions of those who want to set the country on fire without blinking for their personal interests. Turkey has reached these days by being tested. In the last 23 years, we have overcome many troubles, repelled attacks, and emerged from many ambushes unscathed. We have not taken a single step back in protecting the rights, law, and honor of our noble nation. It has been seen once again by everyone that Turkey is no longer a country that can be stirred up by the shouting of 3-5 agitators or the chaos caused by 3-5 vandals. I expect our nation to trust us even more.