Erdoğan cancels two rallies due to throat problem

ANKARA

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s planned weekend rallies in the eastern provinces of Erzurum and Van have been postponed due to a throat problem.

The ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Van provincial head, Zahir Soğanda, announced that Yıldırım will speak in Van on April 1 instead of Erdoğan.

“President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım were scheduled to visit Van on April 1.
 However, because our President Erdoğan is suffering from a hoarse throat due to his intense work tempo, he has cancelled his program for now,” read a written statement from Soğanda on March 31.

“Of course there might be changes in the plan at the last moment. But as of now Prime Minister Yıldırım will address the public in Van [on April 1],” the statement added.

Erdoğan also cancelled his program due in Erzurum on March 31 for the same reason. That rally has been postponed to April 15, one day before the referendum on whether to shift Turkey to an executive presidential system.