May 14 polls will mark a new rise for Türkiye

ISTANBUL

Looming presidential and parliamentary polls will mark a new rise for Türkiye, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, promising to revive 11 provinces that have been destroyed by the earthquakes.

“We, as the People Alliance, have hit the road for a new journey. And I believe you will turn May 14 into a new rise for Türkiye,” Erdoğan said at a ceremony for the inauguration of multiple projects in Bağcılar district of Istanbul on April 2.

There are 42 days to go to one of Türkiye’s most critical polls and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will continue to work until the last day, Erdoğan said “On that day we will give necessary lessons to those who need a lesson. We will keep all the promises we have given to our people in the earthquake region as we did in the past 20 years.”

The government will do everything to heal the wounds of around 14 million who have been impacted by the disaster and revive the destroyed cities, Erdoğan said. “We are resolving the shelter problem through tents, containers and prefabs. But we have also started to build permanent houses. As of today, we have laid the foundations of 65,000 houses. This figure will increase. Our objective is to deliver a total of 650,000 houses to our earthquake sufferers,” he stated.

Erdoğan slams Akşener

In his address, Erdoğan also criticized Good Party Chairman Meral Akşener for accusing him of the recent assault against the Good Party provincial center in Istanbul.

“You should be shameful. Tayyip Erdoğan has never committed such an unethical thing in his life,” Erdoğan said, recalling that the security forces have already caught the perpetrators. “Are you going to apologize to me now?” he asked.

That is why May 14 polls will be very important for the future of Türkiye, the president said, slamming the oppositional alliance for discreetly allying with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) which he calls the political wing of the PKK, terror organization.

“Do you see who is walking hand in hand with? Mr. Kemal is walking with terrorists,” he said, referring to the joint presidential candidate of the opposition, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

The people will select the national alliance and will say “Stop” to the oppositional alliance’s efforts to undermine the country’s security and the future of the country,” he stated.