We will move forward with new friends joining us: Erdoğan

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that the People’s Alliance will write the “epic of May 14” together with those who are and will be a part of the bloc.

“We will start by healing the wounds of the earthquake and restoring the destroyed cities. We will resolutely continue our program that will increase employment, production and exports and increase the welfare of our people,” Erdoğan said on March 11 via videoconference at the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Provincial Heads’ Meeting.

“We will work harder and show more effort to turn the disaster of an earthquake into an occasion that not only delays our goals but strengthens them,” he added.

Erdoğan stated that the determination to continue the struggle they are waging to crush the heads of terrorist organizations that threaten the borders of the country and set their sights on unity and solidarity is not on the agenda of the opposition.

“So what’s on the agenda of this coalition? There is only political ambition on their agenda. There is a division of rank and position. There is an account of how to plunder the country’s resources. There is an intention to disrupt our national unity and solidarity,” he said.

Erdoğan suggested that the opposition block is an effort to bring back the old Türkiye, which has “heavy costs” for the country and the people.

“The end of the journey that the six-party coalition started as a ‘reinforced parliamentary system,’ first came to the gambling table and then to a fight for the vice presidency and parliamentary division worse than horse bargaining,” he said.

The president stated that they aim to open the doors of a new era in which the nation will achieve its dreams by making the country’s achievements in the path of democracy and development the prelude to the Century of Türkiye.

Hours after Erdoğan’s statement, the Free Cause Party ( HÜDA PAR) announced they will support the People’s Alliance in the upcoming elections.

Erdoğan has officially set the date for Türkiye’s parliamentary and presidential elections as May 14, a month ahead of the previously scheduled date, seeking to extend his two decades in power.

Erdoğan is the joint candidate of the People’s Alliance comprising the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Great Union Party (BBP).

The only presidential candidate officially announced so far to run against Erdoğan is Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). He will run on behalf of six opposition parties, including the Felicity Party, the Democrat Party, the İYİ (Good) Party, the Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) and the Future Party.

Meanwhile, Erdoğan and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli visited Hatay to conduct investigations at the earthquake zone.

Highlighting that containers coming from Qatar will be delivered to Hatay, Erdoğan stated that 100,000 containers will be launched within 2 months.

He also stated that the need for mobile toilets and shower systems has been met.

"Payments of 10,000 Turkish Liras have been completed. For households that meet the conditions, 15,000 Turkish lira moving fees and 3 to 5 thousand Turkish lira rental support are also provided", Erdoğan said.

"We provide support to our farmers in many areas", he added.