President Erdoğan's May 19 message: He did not say 'Atatürk' again

The Presidency's Directorate of Communications shared the message of President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day.

It was observed that the term 'Atatürk' was not included in the message, and instead, "Gazi Mustafa Kemal" was used.

Erdoğan's message is as follows:

"My Dear Nation,

Dear Youth,

May 19, 1919, which began exactly 105 years ago in Samsun and crowned our National Struggle with victory, is the date when the first brick was laid in the construction of a strong Turkey.

This date became the spark of the spirit of independence and future that rose from every corner of our country against enemy occupation.

Following this process, in which our nation demonstrated its resistance against captivity and initiated a total struggle for existence, a fight for survival took shape with cries of 'either independence or death'.

The torch of independence lit in Samsun spread to all of Anatolia, through Amasya, Erzurum, Sivas, and subsequently Ankara.

The spirit of May 19 is this nation's greatest asset, its greatest capital. The meaning of standing against difficulties and struggling together with perseverance, faith, and determination is hidden in this spirit.

We can only continue the struggle for development, growth, and strengthening that our country has accelerated despite all kinds of pressure and provocations it faces by upholding the spirit, essence, principles, ideals, and goals of May 19.

You, the soldiers of the new Century of Turkey, should embrace your history and your present with such consciousness and self-confidence, unite with each other, and develop your law of brotherhood.

I congratulate our youth and our dear nation on the May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day, and I once again respectfully commemorate all the heroes of our War of Independence, primarily Gazi Mustafa Kemal."

News Source: 12punto