Erdoğan urges parties to respect presidential post amid coalition talks

ANKARA

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called all political party leaders to respect his presidential post since protecting the country’s most prestigious seat is everybody’s responsibility.

“Those who do not recognize the president do not recognize the people as well. Those who attack the legitimacy of the president also attack the people’s will. Those who show disrespect to the president do the same to the people,” Erdoğan said in a statement on the occasion of a fast-breaking dinner late June 24, returning to a belligerent style that was common before the election but went absent after the Justice and Development Party (AKP) lost its parliamentary majority.

Erdoğan’s comments were a direct address to the three opposition parties who frequently accuse him of delegitimizing the presidential post by interfering in active politics to the benefit of the AKP. Erdoğan conducted numerous public rallies during the election campaign, indirectly campaigning for the AKP. 

Erdoğan stressed that protecting the presidential post was everybody’s responsibility, saying, “I believe more sensitivity will be shown on this issue in the upcoming period.”  The president reiterated that he will not be an impartial president and that he will “always side with the people.” 

A coalition focused on future
 
Repeating that the June 7 elections had not given any of the parties the authority to form the government on its own, necessitating a coalition government, Erdoğan said: “On this, an important duty falls on our political parties and their leaders. There is a need for a coalition that would enlighten the future of our country rather than dealing with the discussions of the past. No one has the right to let Turkey revisit the difficulties it had during the coalition experiences of the 1990s.” 

As the president, he said he would continue to encourage the parties to this end. “Critical developments inside and outside of the country necessitate the settlement of the government issue as soon as possible. In the event our parties fail to fulfill their responsibility, the address of the solution is the people.” 

Erdoğan called on all parties to put the national interest before the short-term gain of their parties.  

Hans, George will not think best for Turkey

Criticizing the international community without naming any country or organization but mentioning anonymous persons identified as Hans and George, Erdoğan said they would never consider the best for Turkey.

“Would Hans, George consider what’s best for Turkey? They did not and they are not. You should better know that they will never do so. They are always exerting efforts ‘How we can divide Turkey? How can we create trouble in Turkey?’” Erdoğan said, returning to the theme that Europeans are ceaselessly plotting to undermine the progress Turkey has attained under his watch.

I am proud to be a ‘negro Turk’

Erdoğan recalled that he hosted representatives from different layers of the society at the presidency on the occasion of fast-breaking dinners but that he was always the subject of criticism because of the exaggerated cost of such dinners. 

Claiming that the cost of such dinners per person was just 30 Turkish Liras and that the total cost was 3,390 liras, even though some media organizations and professional chambers claimed it was 1,000,000 liras, Erdoğan said: “We know very well what they are intending to do. They will answer for their claims before the court. I would not be subject to such attacks if I hosted white Turks here. You know they call us ‘negro Turks.’ I am proud of being such a negro Turk.”