Erdoğan's 'Constitution' comment on Bahçeli-DEM rapprochement: 'We can broaden the base of social consensus'

President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has returned to the country after completing his contacts in Albania and Serbia.

Answering journalists' questions on the plane during his return, Erdoğan made evaluations regarding the agenda.

President Erdoğan stated that his visits to Albania and Serbia were productive, and that he discussed Israel's ongoing attacks, recent developments in the Balkans, and global issues with his counterparts.

EMPHASIS ON JOINT STRUGGLE

Recalling that he attended the second meeting of the High-Level Cooperation Council with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama during the first stop of his visit, President Erdoğan said that they emphasized their determination regarding the joint struggle against terrorist organizations, primarily FETÖ.

Explaining that they discussed the defense industry extensively in his meeting with Rama, Erdoğan stated that he evaluated relations in the political and military fields with Albanian President Bajram Begaj.

'I EXPRESSED THAT WE ARE READY TO DO OUR PART'

Recalling that he moved to Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, after his contacts in Tirana, Erdoğan stated that they confirmed their will to further develop existing cooperation in every field during their meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Stating that 11 new agreements were signed between Turkey and Serbia, Erdoğan said, “I expressed that we are ready to do our part in ensuring lasting stability and peace in the Balkans. With this thought, I also confirmed the importance we attach to the Turkey-Bosnia and Herzegovina-Serbia trilateral consultation mechanism.”

ISRAELI THREAT

The questions posed by journalists to President Erdoğan and his responses are as follows:

QUESTION: Parallel to Israel's attacks on Gaza, attacks targeting social fault lines are also taking place in Turkey. There is an attempt to trigger street protests through dirty campaigns being carried out. Do our intelligence units have any findings on this matter? Is there any work being done regarding countermeasures?

Israel's aggression cannot be ignored. We are currently keeping every kind of step that Israel has taken or may take against Turkey under control from A to Z with our intelligence organization. Israel is not only targeting the stability of Palestine and Lebanon, which it is attacking. It is also striving for the fire there to have effects on the surroundings. It is not possible for us to ignore these. We are aware of all of this. We are not standing idly by either. Of course, our government has efforts to detect and eliminate every kind of risk that threatens society. Those who chase provocation and act with an appetite for chaos have always found us against them until today. They will continue to do so from now on. The way to destroy a lie is to tell the truth tirelessly and persistently. Unfortunately, some politicians can also get involved in these perception operations for the sake of certain political interests. No matter what path they resort to, they will find our government, especially our intelligence, against them at any moment. There is no government standing idly by against these. My nation should know this very well. Our citizens should be extremely careful against organized lies on many platforms, especially social media. They should not believe everything they hear and should focus on official statements. As I always say, it is important to keep the internal front strong. It is extremely important for us to defend our unity against structures that attack our internal front and can wear any mask. As long as our nation stands firm against these, we will fight all of them, God willing. I warn those who attempt to stir up the streets once again from here; do not make such a mistake, they will pay a heavy price.

GENOCIDE IN GAZA

QUESTION: You shared a video on the occasion of the anniversary of the genocide in Gaza, and you drew attention to the sin and shame that those who could not stand on the right side of history on behalf of humanity will carry. You also gave an important message about using communication tools correctly. World-famous musician Roger Waters shared the video. I am curious about what kind of feedback you have received.

The more large masses we can reach to stop those who slaughter humanity and to mobilize the consciences of societies, the better. I thank names like British musician Roger Waters and former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, who shared our video and shared our feelings. The genocide in Gaza has taken place in front of everyone and has taken its place among the historical shames of humanity. Those who stand by the Zionist terrorist organization called Israel today will carry the traces of this shame for generations. Some of the headlines in our latest address to the nation were immediately featured in Israeli media outlets. They were very uncomfortable. Israeli newspapers immediately ran headlines about me. Of course, we are not going to ask for their permission. We did what was necessary, may God make its effect manifest. We hear the cries of mothers who lost their children. But Zionist Israel has no such concern. They will continue the genocide. And we will continue to tell the world about the crimes committed by Zionist Israel by rubbing it in their faces. I must say with pride that a great consciousness has been formed in my country against what the terror state has done, thank God. We will do whatever is necessary to make this permanent. It is essential that we develop this understanding in Western countries as well. We will continue to do whatever is necessary on the basis of law and diplomacy to hold Israel accountable for the genocide. We say there is no stopping, we continue on this path. We are using all channels of communication. We will continue to do this, especially through my Communications Director, and to use communication channels effectively.

ISRAEL'S ATTACKS ON LEBANON

QUESTION: Mr. President, currently Israel is bombing Lebanon, bombing Beirut, and bombing Damascus. But they are openly saying that they will occupy Damascus after Lebanon. The occupation of Damascus means Israeli soldiers coming to the Turkish border, it means the complete fragmentation of the Syrian map. What can we do against this?

The moment Israel occupies Damascus, it will have reached the north of Syria as you said. Israel may have certain calculations, but the greatest calculator is Allah. The calculation of our Lord will certainly manifest above these calculations. I mean, what does our Lord say in the verse? He is the greatest calculator. They make calculations, but they can never match Allah's calculation. The dreams that Netanyahu and his gang see will turn into nightmares. Palestine will be free, Lebanon will remain free. On every piece of land where they extend their bloody hands, they will encounter the rightful and noble resistance of the brave people defending their homelands. Victory will surely belong to those who are patient. Syria has suffered a lot. Humanity must oppose the addition of new ones to them. Since the beginning of the civil war in Syria, I have expressed that we respect Syria's territorial integrity. We have used all diplomatic channels to protect Syria's sovereignty. Every step Turkey has taken has been aimed at reducing tension in the region and preparing the ground for search for solutions. Today, the effective use of diplomatic channels can prevent the escalation of the conflict. Israel, which has turned into a monster that slaughters peace and tranquility, must find humanity against it. We will continue to work for Syria to restore its unity and reach peace and tranquility. We will increase our efforts to create a fair, honorable, permanent, and inclusive climate of peace in Syria. We will defend an urgent and permanent peace in Syria, as everywhere else, and stand by peace.

Israel is the most concrete threat to regional and global peace. Those who have taken on the task of protecting world peace must end this threat and preserve peace. Since the beginning of the civil war in Syria, we have been carefully following the steps Russia will take. Because Russia is acting jointly with Syria. Regarding Iran, Russia, Iran, Syria, all this trilateral mechanism is acting together. On the other side, there are coalition forces consisting of America, England, and Germany. The coalition forces have taken on the guardianship of the PKK/YPG terrorist organization. It is essential that Russia, Iran, and Syria take more effective measures against this situation, which poses the greatest threat to Syria's territorial integrity. Similar conditions are being experienced in Iraq. For this reason, while Israel's efforts to spread the war to the entire region on one hand, and the separatist and destructive activities of terrorist organizations on the other are evident, we must save the region in solidarity by leaving aside small calculations of interest. Our burden is heavy, we have much work to do.

GREECE-TURKEY RELATIONS

QUESTION: Mr. President, Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis said that an opportunity has arisen for the determination of maritime jurisdiction areas and that courageous steps should be taken. Perhaps our Foreign Minister may have meetings with their Foreign Minister on this issue. How do you evaluate the ongoing meetings with Egypt, and the possibility of adding such a process with Greece to these meetings?

After the 2023 elections, an understanding began as to whether we could solve the existing chronic problem between Greece and Turkey through qualified negotiation. Together with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, we gave political support to this process, and our Ministry of Foreign Affairs started a comprehensive study on this issue. It is important that there is a will on both sides to define the problems, outline their content, and find certain solutions. Our Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will go to Greece and hold meetings on these issues. We will discuss all these issues based on our holistic approach regarding the Aegean. Turkey and Greece are two neighboring countries with historical ties. The principle of good neighborliness is the key to the formula that will benefit both countries. I believe that Turkey-Greece relations are moving towards better days on the axis of this principle. From the very beginning, we have approached the issues on the agenda of the two countries with a solution-oriented perspective. We say, “The two countries can demonstrate the will for a solution and leave the problems behind.” We have long wanted maritime and airspace jurisdiction areas to be determined in accordance with international law. As countries of the region, we can only increase security and stability and reduce the risks of conflict through dialogue and cooperation. We are in pursuit of fairness. Just as we do not have eyes on anyone's land, our determination to protect our rights to the end is complete.

BAHÇELİ-DEM RAPPROCHEMENT

QUESTION: After MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli shook the hands of the DEM Party Co-Chairs, you said, “We want the value of this hand extended by the People's Alliance to be understood by its addressees. We desire to solve the country's problems with a broad consensus.” Is the new Constitution at the center of your message? What is your response to the comments that “a green light has been turned on” and “a new process could begin” to the words “if a concrete step comes from the DEM Party, we are open to negotiation and dialogue”?

There is a hand extended clearly and decisively. We find the attitude displayed by Mr. Bahçeli positive and meaningful for our country's struggle for democracy. Mr. Bahçeli is emphasizing the importance of the call for reconciliation and dialogue in Turkey's political structure here. Therefore, this step taken by Mr. Bahçeli cannot be put aside. We have been expressing this for years. This step taken by Mr. Bahçeli is, in my opinion, a very, very important step. There may be those who did not expect such a step from Mr. Bahçeli. But as a senior politician, we did not find it strange that Mr. Bahçeli took such a step. We saw it as an important step. Our wish is that the number of those who take these steps increases in the process ahead. As the number of those who take these steps increases, hopefully, we can broaden the base of social consensus regarding the new Constitution. At the foundation of our politics lies the resolution of the country's problems with a broad consensus and the inclusion of different segments of society in the process. We have been expressing this for years. It is very clear that nothing can be achieved in Turkey through terrorist methods. Everyone should have understood this by now. Looking at the developments in our region, strengthening the climate of peace and tranquility in our country is the best for everyone. In a geography surrounded by terrorist organizations, in a period where tensions are experienced in Iraq, civil war in Syria, and Israel is becoming brutal, the establishment of peace at home gains importance. We have taken deep-rooted steps to expand the space of democratic politics in Turkey, despite all the obstacles, sabotages, and treacherous plans to date. Our support for every step that strengthens democracy in our country is complete.

Despite this, saying “we are handing over our will to anti-democratic centers, we take every step with this understanding” is not seen as a constructive approach. We fight against every kind of terrorism and take a stand against it. We are always ready to eliminate problems through non-terrorist methods. Because we do politics to strengthen the peace and unity of our country and to provide our nation with the quality services it deserves. Our call for a new constitution is for this reason. The way to remove the shackles that coup plotters have put on Turkey's feet is to make an inclusive, fair, civil, and libertarian constitution.

TENSION IN KOSOVO

QUESTION: There is an ethnic tension that is being attempted to be escalated in Kosovo. Serbia is also one of the parties to the high tension in the region. The Republika Srpska within Bosnia and Herzegovina also raises separatist tension from time to time. Could you evaluate Turkey's role in preventing a new Middle East scenario in the Balkans?

First of all, this trip of ours is already the best example of that. The role we will undertake is always there. The attitude and statements we displayed today in both Albania and Serbia, together with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at the press conference, already constituted the best example of this. If you notice, the sentences I used in my expression are not ordinary. “We cannot form sentences by getting some permissions from someone, and we do not take steps by asking for permission regarding the sentences we form. When we form our sentence, we form it by focusing exactly on the target.” Indeed, my counterpart Mr. Vucic is also a person of the same character. He is a person who has a determined stance on these issues. He is an exemplary person in the region. It might have escaped your eyes. The step we will take jointly regarding the defense industry is also an expression of this. My Foreign Minister and my minister friends related to the defense industry will do this work. Ethnic tensions in the Balkans present a quite complex picture in terms of historical and political dynamics. Turkey also has deep historical, cultural, and political ties with Balkan countries. These ties require Turkey to take a more active role in ensuring peace and stability in the region.

PERCEPTION OF IMPUNITY

QUESTION: You made very important statements at your party's last meeting. You touched upon the violent incidents that have occurred in recent days. You even used the expressions “if there is a blockage, we will perform surgery, we are uncomfortable with criminal types walking among us.” Of course, you also said that you would take important steps. What kind of roadmap will be followed on this issue?

A state must primarily ensure the security, justice, and economic prosperity of its citizens. We have done whatever is necessary for this for 22 years, and we continue to do so. Fighting against every kind of violence is our duty, and we are taking steps beyond our capabilities for this. When shortcomings in the struggle emerge, we take the necessary measures without wasting any time. Some murders and incidents that have occurred recently tend to damage our nation's feeling of safety and belief in justice. Our people should be at ease; whoever disturbs the peace of society and threatens security will pay the price. In the deep analyses we have made, we do not hesitate to intervene if functional or structural deficiencies are detected in preventing violent incidents. At this point, we cannot allow a perception of impunity in our society. We will make legal regulations that will perform surgery on problematic areas regarding the reformative and deterrent nature of punishments. Whatever institution or system has a weakness, we will fix the problem with pinpoint accuracy. We see that there are steps to be taken regarding the police, judiciary, and media. It will be essential for crime-prone individuals to be tried while in custody, and execution procedures will be carried out based on these situations of these individuals in the trial. With the changes we will make in the penal execution system, those who commit crimes will know that they will definitely enter prison. The Ministry of Justice and our Grand National Assembly group will carry out the technical work on this issue. We are also conducting examinations regarding structural problems. If there is a need for structural changes that will ensure the most effective fight against crime, we will take steps for them as well. We will implement clearer and more deterrent penal policies according to crime types. Our citizens will see that the understanding that is attempted to be created in society, that “criminals go unpunished, the perpetrator gets away with it,” is not true. The steps we have taken for years to speed up the judiciary are evident. We have made progress here, but we will continue to work with the understanding that “justice delayed is justice denied.”

FOOD SAFETY: IMITATION AND ADULTERATION

QUESTION: Mr. President, there is a struggle initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture. There are poisonous foods, adulteration, establishments that feed the nation pork, etc. These are being disclosed by the Ministry of Agriculture. How do you view this struggle? Secondly, there is a meatball chain. First, it was said that it was “being protected,” then it was disclosed. Now it is being said that “injustice is being done,” etc. That meatball chain is right in the middle of a full-blown controversy. Are you following those discussions too? What do you think?

There are 724 thousand food businesses in Turkey. These are producers, sellers, distributors. These are definitely inspected at least once every year by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The number of inspections this year approached 1 million. Our Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has made it possible to track these electronically and instantly the moment a problem is detected. In the inspection of the meatball shop you mentioned, inappropriate food was detected in two branches in Ankara. A criminal complaint is filed with the prosecutor's office. There are objection processes. The court first cancels the decision of our Ministry of Agriculture, and when this decision is objected to by the Ministry, this time the objections are accepted. When the judicial process is completed and finalized, this inspection report is published. The administrative actions taken by our Ministry are also under judicial review. Everyone has the right to defend themselves. Ultimately, the court makes the final decision, and the Ministry publishes the result of the inspection. These inspections of ours will continue, they are continuing. In conclusion, the issue of food is a matter that should really be taken seriously.

CHANGE WITHIN THE PARTY

QUESTION: Mr. President, there is a change process in the AK Party, and you repeatedly say that there will be a renewal. So, will the change only be in the staff, or will we see a change in the party program and party charter as well?

Our party program is already constantly subject to change. But besides this, of course, there may be some changes in the administrative mechanisms, within our party. There may be changes in the Deputy Chairmen in the same way. As you know, two of our friends in our cabinet were subject to change. Now, in this new process, just as there may be some changes in the Deputy Chairmen, we will make our evaluations according to the situation in the cabinet as well. There may be some changes there too.