President Erdoğan pledges more than 3 billion lira support to farmers

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has vowed to give farmers 3,447,000 Turkish Liras in support until Eid al-Fitr, early June.

“I want to share the good news of the support until the Eid,” Erdogan said on May 14, speaking at a fast-breaking dinner with farmers.

Recalling that the meat prices did not drop to desired levels, Erdoğan said the government is determined to adjust them to affordable prices.

“With this in mind, we will reduce costs by taking into account the demands of our producers and give more weight to policies that will encourage production,” he stated.

He pledged to make 2.4 billion liras in support for cottonseed, 662 million liras for sunflower and 385 million liras for raw milk, amounting to a total of 3,447,000 liras.

Elaborating on the upcoming revote of the Istanbul municipal elections, Erdoğan stressed the importance of elections as a place for people to have a say in. “Polls are the virtue of democracy and the honor of the nation.”

“We have fought our battles thanks to the power we gained from the national will in the polls,” he added.

Erdoğan once again accused the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and its candidate for Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, of “stealing votes.”

“We did not and will not let anyone violate the polls and determine the results at their own will, just like it was during the single-party rule,” he said.

“If shadow is cast on the polls, the best thing to do is apply to the nation’s will,” he added.

The president also slammed CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for calling members of the Supreme Election Council (YSK) “gang members” because they voted in favor of a re-election.

“Calling the YSK members a ‘gang’ means failure to get a share of democracy. Our nation will give the right decision for our country and provinces,” he said.

The AKP does not discriminate anyone based on appearance, ideology and faith, according to Erdoğan, who once again reiterated his idea of forming an Alliance of Turkey.

“Can we separate Turks, Kurds, Laz, Circassians, Georgians, Abkhasians, Albanians or Bosnians? They are trying to divide our country, but we will not let it happen,” he said.

“I love all 82 million people equally,” he added.