Below are the key points of President Erdogan’s speech:
Dear members of the Central Executive Committee, respected Chairman, Group Vice-Chairmen and colleagues, I extend my heartfelt greetings to you and, through you, to the people of the 81 states. I am pleased to be with you on the occasion of our meeting. I would like to thank my friends who contributed to the content of the meeting. I offer my heartfelt congratulations to the new President and those re-elected.
We came together during the election period, but we were unable to hold an AK Party conference due to the election. We came here early last month with party staff and lawmakers. We value dialogue and seek to solve the country’s challenges with common sense. We wanted to come together with friends of the AK Party Chairman. We said, let’s discuss projects and form a roadmap. I would like to thank those of you who participated in our invitation. We will meet with you frequently, both during our regional visits and at various meetings.
The story of the AK Party is a success story that goes from local to general. We are a party that rose from among the people. We started our journey to serve the country from the local government. Our success in the local government opened new doors. We first proved ourselves in the local government, and the country recognized and trusted us in the local government. In 2002, he handed over the responsibility of governing the country to the AK Party. It is because of our success in the local government that we were able to remain in power for 22 years. The source of information for the AK Party is the local government. This has not changed and will not change. With its knowledge and vision, the AK Party is the most capable and well-equipped political movement in the world for local government.
AK Party Municipality has become a global brand. Even our competitors have started to copy us. We shape their roadmap and guide our competitors. As the world changes, there are topics that need to adapt to the changes. There may be issues that need to raise the interest of society, especially young people. No one can match us in terms of preparing and creating a city for the future by being vocal without getting caught up in populism.
In the last elections, the opposition ran a campaign based on cheap populism. They exploited our economy’s problems and made outrageous promises. They did not propose any concrete projects to address the bleeding wounds of our cities. We distanced ourselves from any populism that would undermine our sense of trust with the people. We shared our projects. On March 31, our country took its final decision. We kissed this will and placed it on our heads. The People’s Alliance won 40.5% of the vote.
They pay off the parliament’s debt with a tour of Rome for media personnel
The rain of promises of the opposition is over. The promises made are forgotten. Today they are raising the prices of everything from bread to water. They astronomically increased the prices of everything they said they would make cheap or free. Even his own party members have begun to rebel. Instead of serving, they spend their energy on making excuses. They slandered the former mayors of the municipalities they took over for acting too lacking political morality. They pay their dues with tours of Rome to media members who they use as personal advertising agents. They are writing books about nepotism in municipalities that have turned into farms for friends, relatives and acquaintances. They have done nothing but encourage alcohol consumption, encourage gender neutrality and equip local municipalities with LGBT rags. They have only beaten the public in the government offices, declared war on Arabic signs and put pressure on them. They have driven out our brothers who work in the cities and districts where they have been appointed. We will witness similar events for the next five years unless there is a fundamental change in the opposition. I don’t think it’s right to impose a lifestyle on our people. Millions of our people have been treated as second-class citizens because they wanted to live according to their own beliefs. The top-down management approach has brought great costs to our country. We put an end to this understanding in our municipalities in 1994 and throughout Turkey in 2002. We did not interfere in anyone’s life. We distanced ourselves from political revivalism. Old ailments have resurfaced in municipalities where the responsibilities have changed. We hope that the application to remind us of February 28 will be implemented again.
You can’t get anywhere through foreign hostilities
Everyone should refrain from exploiting Turkey’s fault lines. People who left their homeland should not be allowed to pay the price for their own incompetence. One of the reasons for the sad events caused by a small group in Kayseri yesterday is the harmful rhetoric of the opposition. Vandalism and street burnings are unacceptable. Nothing can be achieved by inciting xenophobia and hatred towards refugees in society. We consider it powerless to resort to the politics of hatred for political gain. Discrimination, marginalization and hostility will not find a place in the politics of the AK Party. We want to contribute to the Turkish government and the opposition. We want peace in society not to be disturbed or undermined.
If there is a problem with the base of the airplane playing card, it will affect the main body as well.
On March 31, our country has given you an important task. Do not think that you are running a small town. You are guarding the great AK Party plane tree, under whose shadow millions of people find peace and stand alive. Each of our presidents fulfills such a sacred duty with all their staff and staff. If there is a problem with the roots of the plane tree, it will affect the trunk as well.
The money in your power is the country’s money, not yours. If you spend a penny, you will remember that this money is the country’s money. And you will remember this: God exists, death exists, and there is a day of judgment. Spend your expenses correctly and avoid waste. You will see the situation of those who come to the fore with their money towers. Even the smallest mistake can harm the Turkish plane tree. I sincerely believe that you will be sensitive to protecting the trust of the people.
There has never been any discrimination among us and there never will be any discrimination.
You will always be in our country. You will be with the country in good times and bad. The poor will not come looking for you, you will go and find them. Maybe he is ashamed and embarrassed. You will understand before he explains. You will reluctantly go and give it to him. Not only those who voted for you, but all the residents of that city will say, “God bless you.” There has never been and there never will be discrimination between us. You will be the president of the whole city, not just the people who voted for you. You will be the mayor of the people, not the elites. You will be the mayor of the quiet masses, not the loud masses. You will be the leader of the strange people who are struggling to hang on to life. You will also have a historic mission.
Solving the stray dog problem
We will solve these problems, especially the stray dog problem. Local governments have a big responsibility. We will not allow earthquake preparations and urban transformation to be put on the back burner. We will work to make the city earthquake-proof so that the damage will never be repeated.
