I do not want statues of myself to be erected: Erdoğan

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Sept. 13 that he does not want statues of himself to be erected in Turkey. 

Speaking after a bust depicting him was removed in the northwestern province of Kocaeli for allegedly “not looking like the president,” Erdoğan said he was against moves taken by some municipalities to erect statues or busts of him.

“I was very saddened when I heard this. It is against our values. I do not want statues of myself to be erected and I do not want busts or such things to be made. We have asked for them to be removed. Our municipalities should not make such mistakes anymore,” he said at the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) mayoral advisory and assessment meeting in the capital Ankara.

“They should not erect statues but instead erect monuments aimed at service. We should know that [such statues] contradict with our values,” he said.