President Erdoğan made statements following the Cabinet Meeting.
Highlights from Erdoğan's statements:
We discussed additional measures that can be taken in schools. We will complete the construction of a safe school climate.
Dear friends, since our last meeting, we have continued to serve our country and our beloved nation with passion through an intense work schedule. We have fought to bring Turkey to the place it deserves in the world through mass opening ceremonies at home and international meetings abroad. We have had a full agenda, especially in the field of foreign policy.
CONGRATULATIONS TO SUCCESSFUL ATHLETES
On September 8, we hosted the Sultans of the Net at our Presidential Complex, who brought great pride to our nation by becoming European champions for the second time in a row. On behalf of myself and my nation, I once again wholeheartedly congratulate our A National Women's Volleyball Team, who repeated the victory we achieved in Belgium three years ago, this time on our own home soil and with a magnificent comeback. Likewise, I congratulate our national boxer Buse Naz Sürmeneli, who won the gold medal in the 70 kg category at the 2026 European Boxing Championships, and I wish for her continued success. While our national athletes make 86 million proud with their significant achievements, we continue to illuminate the future of our 81 provinces with works, investments, and projects. The trust our nation has placed in us makes it mandatory for us to mobilize every moment and every day for Turkey. We are striving to fulfill the requirements of this sacred trust in the best possible way.
WORKS EXCEEDING 10 BILLION LIRAS IN RİZE
On September 11, we were in our father's hometown of Rize to both inaugurate our completed investments and lay the foundations for our new works. We presented exactly 26 projects to the service of our citizens in Rize, from our TOKİ residences to our public gardens, from new workplaces to schools and student dormitories, and from culture and arts centers to sports facilities. We also laid the foundations for three new investments that will be completed in a short time. I hope that these works and investments, with a total value exceeding 10 billion liras, will once again be beneficial to our Rize and our country.
On September 13, we visited our Samsun. Our Samsun City Hospital, which we built on an area of 234 thousand square meters, will serve our city with a bed capacity of 1,458, 230 intensive care beds, 40 state-of-the-art operating rooms, and 320 polyclinics. I wish this massive investment, totaling 17 billion liras, to be beneficial for our Samsun, our region, and our nation, and I congratulate those who contributed.
NEW RUNWAY FOR ISTANBUL AIRPORT
On September 18, we experienced the pride of bringing another new work to Istanbul. As you know, our Istanbul Airport, which the opposition said, "No planes will land here," has been breaking records since the day it opened. This work, which they slandered by saying, "Birds don't fly, caravans don't pass, what is an airport doing in such a place?", hosted 84.5 million passengers last year.
In April 2025, we implemented the triple independent parallel runway operation. Thus, our airport became one of the centers in the world, and the first in Europe, where independent take-offs and landings can be performed from three runways at the same time. We have further strengthened this with the fourth main runway we have put into service. With the fourth main runway, which has an investment value of 890 million euros and is 2,820 meters long, the total number of runways at our airport has reached six. I hope our new runway, which shortens waiting times, provides fuel, time, and emission savings, and increases landing-take-off safety to the highest level even in adverse weather conditions, will be auspicious.
APPOINTMENTS ON VETERANS DAY
On September 19, when we observed Veterans Day, we carried out the appointments of our martyrs' relatives, veterans, and veterans' relatives to public institutions. Together with our 571 brothers and sisters who started their new duties, we increased the number of martyrs' relatives, veterans, and veterans' relatives employed in the public sector to 53 thousand 179.
Once, we are all very clearly aware of this. We can never fully repay the rights of our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for our independence and future, our veterans who paid the price for our unity and solidarity, and our martyrs' relatives who endured conscience and hardship. However, as a state, we are especially striving to do the best we can within the limits of our means. We will continue, God willing, to look after the trust of our martyrs like the apple of our eye and to make the lives of our martyr families, veterans, and veterans' relatives easier with the regulations we have implemented and the steps we have taken. From here, I wish our newly appointed brothers and sisters success on the path of serving our nation. I commemorate our martyrs with mercy. May God be pleased with all our martyr families who do not get caught up in provocations and do not lose their dignity, their fortitude, and that noble stance that is an example to us all.
ADDRESS TO THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
On September 20, we went to New York to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly. I addressed the United Nations General Assembly for the 16th time on the second day of the meetings, which were held this year with the theme "Rebuilding trust, managing transformation."
In our speech, we shared the recipe for a new order with the world in 5 points. We expressed our opinions regarding the resolution of wars and conflicts happening around us, especially in Palestine, Russia, Ukraine, and Iran. The state terrorism that Israel is spreading in Gaza and the West Bank was again at the top of our agenda.
Unfortunately, the President of Palestine, Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, could not address the General Assembly in person this year due to visa obstacles. It is a shameful situation for humanity that Mr. Abbas could not be there, while those whose words reek of blood and who are guilty of war crimes find a place for themselves on the United Nations podium to list their lies. I want to state once again that this injustice wounds consciences.
"THERE IS A STRONGER TURKEY TODAY COMPARED TO THE PAST"
Of course, we spoke there that day not only on behalf of our nation but also on behalf of the oppressed Palestinians and innocent Lebanese. We will not take a step back from this. We will never lose our stance until those who commit crimes against humanity, those who shed the blood of 74 thousand Gazan brothers and sisters, and those who spread terror in our region from Lebanon to Syria are held accountable before the law; we will continue to shout for justice and speak the truth with courage.
I also see benefit in this being known here. Today, there is a Republic of Turkey that is stronger than in the past. Today, there is a Republic of Turkey that looks to its future with more hope than in the past, inspires confidence in its surroundings, and is trusted by its friends. Most importantly, today there is a Republic of Turkey that has re-established the thousand-year-old law of brotherhood at home and embraced its neighbors again abroad. We are a state that thinks big, takes big steps, sets big goals, and advances toward those goals with determination. With God's permission, we will walk this path with patience until the end.
"TURKEVI HAS BECOME THE CENTER OF DIPLOMACY"
My beloved nation, our Turkevi, which we brought to our country five years ago right across from the United Nations, has again become a center where the heart of diplomacy beats. We hosted many heads of state and government in our Turkevi. During our time in New York, we held bilateral meetings with a total of 17 heads of state and government.
Upon the invitation of Mr. Trump, we participated in the meeting attended by America and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and shared our opinions on the re-establishment of peace and stability in the region. We met with the American business world and evaluated investment opportunities in our country. In addition to our citizens living in different states in this proportion where the Turkish-American Muslim community is located, we also longed for our friends and brothers in America. I wish that the contacts, meetings, and gatherings we held on the occasion of the 81st United Nations General Assembly will once again be beneficial for our country, our nation, and the oppressed geographies.
On September 26, we attended the closing ceremony of the 21st MÜSİAD EXPO International Trade Fair and the 29th International Business Forum. I hope that both the fair and the business forum will open doors to new partnerships, and I congratulate our MÜSİAD for their efforts.
"WE EVALUATED THE FUND ISSUE THOROUGHLY"
Dear members of the press, valuable friends, at our Cabinet meeting today, we had the opportunity to evaluate the fund issue, which has been on the agenda since September 17, in detail. Our Minister of Justice and our Minister of Treasury and Finance made comprehensive presentations. They informed our cabinet members about the steps taken so far. As you know, we had announced to the public how we approach this issue at the press conference we held upon our return from New York.
Whoever reaches out to the nation's rights, property, and assets, whether through market manipulation, stock market games, or by committing blatant corruption as seen in municipalities, will find us against them, will find the state against them.
When it comes to our nation, our stance is clear. We neither violate rights nor turn a blind eye to the violation of our citizens' rights. We are closely following the developments in our capital markets. Our economic staff is working with intense effort in coordination with other responsible units.
Turkey's financial system is strong. The problem experienced has occurred in a limited part of the fund market.
There is no risk that has spread to our financial system.
News Source: 12punto
