President Erdoğan: With our Century of Türkiye programme, we aim to make a strong beginning to our Republic’s new century

 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at the debut of the AK Party’s “The Century of Türkiye” programme in Ankara.

Greeting all the participants, notably Chairman Devlet Bahçeli of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), President Erdoğan said: “We entered the first century of our Republic following an attack that aimed to end our 900-year long presence on the Anatolian lands. Those, who wanted to bury our nation along with the Ottoman Empire completely into history, did not directly confronted us this time as they had done in Çanakkale or Kut Al Amara. Instead, they attempted to invade Anatolia by using their most convenient tool. Our nation, who had suffered heavily under the burden of long wars, said ‘Do not ever let villainous men set foot on my homeland,’ and shook themselves one last time. They started the national struggle, and crowned it with victory. With the proclamation of the Republic of Türkiye, our third great state in Anatolia, we embarked upon a new era, which contained within itself numerous phases and struggles. As we leave behind our first century with all its difficulties and achievements, we would like to salute the leaders of the epic defiance in the national struggle and the rise from ashes. I remember with grace and gratitude all our heroes who gifted us this homeland on which we freely breathe, notably Ghazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the Commander-in-Chief of our War of Independence and the Founder of our Republic.”

“IMPERIALISTS’ DESIGNS ON OUR COUNTY NEVER CEASED TO EXIST”

Noting that the Republic did not have a peace of mind for most of its century-long past, President Erdoğan said: “The imperialists’ designs on our county never ceased to exist. The stooges used in these dirty designs never ceased to exist as well. At the hand of administrations, guided by tutelage forces instead of relying on the supremacy of national will, our country wasted its golden years.”

Recalling that patriotic initiatives for democracy and development by previous leaders, who upheld the national will, always hit a wall of coups and tutelage, President Erdoğan said: “When we assumed the responsibility to govern our country in November 2002 thanks to our nation’s kindness, we took over such a legacy of Türkiye. Surely, there were some nice works, initiated in the first 80 years of our Republic and some of them were successfully completed. However, the gap between the level of development and democracy our country should have reached and where we were was too wide. In this spirit, we for 20 years said ‘No stopping, keep moving,’ and we developed, strengthened and enriched our country.”

“WE ONLY PURSUED SOLUTION IN THE NATIONAL WILL”

Underlining that thanks to the strong support of the nation, they have carried out works that made up for Türkiye’s century-long losses in 20 years, President Erdoğan recalled the relentless attacks by imperialists, tutelage circles and coup-plotters over the past 20 years, and said: “When they tried to hinder our steps for democracy and development, we only pursued solution in the power of national will and discretion. We have realized the most critical leap forward in development and democracy in the first century of our Republic through common sense, shared will and conscience which transcended every political and social classifications.”

“Anyone, who had been tried to be marginalized or turned on one another, have contributed to the great revolution we managed to realize in the last 20 years of our Republic’s first century. We have stood by anyone who suffered from the tutelage in Türkiye, including the Muslims, who had been alienated due to their faith, the Kurds who had been discriminated due to their language, the Alevites who had been pressurized due to their disposition, the Christian and Jewish people who are sons and daughters of these lands, and had been subjected to injustice. We have supported their struggles and made up for their losses,” President Erdoğan said.

“We reopened the Hagia Sophia in line with the way Mehmed the Conqueror entrusted us to do, which had been a dream for generations. Even that single act is a great defiance against the global tutelage,” President Erdoğan underscored.

“WE HAVE NO DOUBT THAT OUR NATION WILL CROWN THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE”

“We regard the works and services we have realized in Türkiye to be a mere introduction of our gratitude towards it,” President Erdoğan said. “As the world faces new and pressing challenges, we aim to make a strong beginning to our Republic’s new century with our Century of Türkiye programme. We have no doubt that our nation will crown the Century of Türkiye as has been the case for every path we paved.”

“IT IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY AIMS OF OUR VISION FOR A CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE TO INTRODUCE A NEW CONSTITUTION”

“It is one of the primary aims of our vision for a Century of Türkiye to introduce a new Constitution, which is a product of the national will to the core. We will draft this new Constitution in a way that will strengthen the peace in our country, boost our nation’s prosperity, consolidate the rule of law, pluralism, and justice, ensure the freedoms of each and every one of our citizens, make sure that our youth look to the future with confidence, in sum, in a way which will befit the Century of Türkiye, in line with the discretion of our parliament and with the approval of our nation. It is the most natural right of our nation, who have paid the price to protect our homeland for a thousand years, our Republic for a century, our democracy for 80 years, and our freedom on July 15, to have such a Constitution. We will not rest until that day arrives. We have drafted a Constitutional amendment which will ensure the rights of our daughters and sisters, with and without headscarves, to labor and education, and also will protect our family institution from the threats of deviant trends. Inshallah, we will present it to our parliament next week, and get this issue, which is a fundamental right, out of our nation’s agenda once and for all,” President Erdoğan said.

On national defense, President Erdoğan noted the following: “Through operations Euphrates Shield, Olive Branch, Claw, Peace Spring and Spring Shield, and Operation Claw-Lock, we have annihilated the terror corridor sought to be formed across our southern borders. We have consolidated the distinguished place of the Turkish Armed Forces, which we have cleared of traces of coup and junta, among the most powerful militaries in the world.”

“THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF SUSTAINABILITY”

With regard to the spirit, philosophy and essence of the vision of the Century of Türkiye, President Erdoğan said: “The Century of Türkiye is the century of sustainability. With this understanding, while we are strengthening the ecosystem that embraces the life with all its aspects in our country, we will strive for same steps to be taken to that end in the world. We will march towards common goals together with all our institutions and all the parties in the areas of environmental protection, economic development and social progress, which constitute the major axis of sustainability.”

“THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF PEACE”

“As the world experiences deep economic injustices, social fragmentations and political turbulences, which have come to be symbolized by migration, we stand out from this grave picture in the midst of which we are situated. Unlike those whose only priority is their own security and prosperity, we will continue to seek peace in a shared climate we will jointly create with our region and the entire world. It is this approach of ours that underpins our call, ‘the World is bigger than 5’,” President Erdoğan said.

“THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF ACHIEVEMENTS”

“Drawing inspiration from our ancestors who had made these lands home to us, we have no doubts whatsoever that we possess the necessary self-confidence, will, perseverance and capabilities to achieve success in every struggle we undertake. Achieving many more successes and introducing many more ‘firsts’ and ‘mosts’, we are determined to take our country to the top in the second century of our Republic,” President Erdoğan underscored.

THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF CONFIDENCE AND STABILITY.

“It is thanks to the climate of confidence and stability we have ensured through the Presidential System of Government that our country has now a say, effect and power of production, exportation and employment at global level. If Türkiye, which is becoming increasingly stronger in its region and the world, strictly defends stability and confidence in terms of administration, there is no goal it cannot achieve. We will consolidate stability and continue to implement new projects and services in our country not to save the day but to build the future. Thus, we will achieve a foreign trade volume of 1 trillion dollars and a tourism income of 100 billion dollars in a short span of time,” President Erdoğan said.

THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF PRODUCTION.

“With the understanding of domestic and national, reformist and green production economy, we are increasing our global competitive power in every area, from industry to agriculture, with the support of our national technology initiative. By supporting accurate production areas, which are based on advanced technology, which have high added value and a wide market, and which increase employment, we will make Türkiye one of the biggest hubs of global industry and trade. In this regard, we are turning the upcoming period into a process in which we will discuss and implement new and efficient production strategies,” President Erdoğan said.

THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF PRODUCTIVITY.

“While the economic fluctuations, triggered by the pandemic and the war, deepen the global energy, healthcare and food crises, we have already differentiated ourselves from this terrible course of events. We are building the Türkiye Economic Programme, which will raise our country through investment, employment, production, exports and current account surplus, on productivity as well. We will further improve the activities, which will increase production and exports in areas that have vital importance both for us and the world, and contribute to the green development revolution, with the principles of productivity,” President Erdoğan underlined.

THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF POWER.

“Each step we have taken and each success we have achieved in line with the domestic and national development strategies further strengthen our country. We will maintain our country’s global growth as a political and economic power through a coherent administration and the infrastructure we will further advance. We will complete the construction of the great and powerful Türkiye through accurate goals, accurate decisions and accurate steps without allowing any pause or regression in any area,” President Erdoğan said.

THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF DIGITALIZATION.

“We are on a voyage from being a country that endeavors to keep up with the era to a country that shapes the era. To that end, we will elevate our country to the top level in digital technologies, from metaverse to blockchain. As a country, which has built the most spread and most active e-state infrastructure, and which rapidly develops its production based on middle and high technology, we will spearhead the global digital revolution economy as well,” President Erdoğan noted.

THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF COMMUNICATIONS.

“We consider the regulations, which will make the communication between our nation and state, and between our state and other countries fast, continuous and transparent, to be the assurance of social peace and national security. We will continue to strengthen the infrastructure that will accurately and timely inform our citizens and the world through reliable sources, and to take efficient measures against disinformation,” President Erdoğan said.

“THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF SCIENCE”

“We are going through a distinct period when the implications of the advancements in science and technology for the future of humanity are being discussed from various perspectives. We are planning to have a say and weight in this area as well by supporting the scientific works public and private sectors undertake in our country with a view to increasing the life quality of our people. We will have at least 10 universities of ours in the global top-500 listings and will increase our share from the number of international students, projected to reach 10 million in 2030, from about 300 thousand currently to 1 million,” President Erdoğan said.

“THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF DEVELOPMENT”

“We have managed to preserve our own priorities in the face of global crises while undertaking the greatest development initiative of our history. We will further improve our country’s infrastructure interconnecting all the 81 provinces in such a manner that it will respond to the needs of the century in every area and will even outperform the infrastructure of developed countries in some respects. We are on the brink of realizing a new economic and social development move that will enable our country to achieve its real goals by turning the global crisis into an opportunity. As we increase our national income, we will make sure that our people from all walks of life take their fair share from it,” President Erdoğan underlined.

“THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF PEACE”

“We are the only country that makes sincere efforts for peace by establishing equitable, moral and fair relations with all parties at a time when wars, conflicts and tensions are escalating around us. The humanitarian and conscientious stance we display both at the table and on the ground in line with national interests, international principles and multilateral balances is increasingly appreciated. We will continue to consolidate this approach of ours at the service of humanity in the period ahead,” President Erdoğan said.

“THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF VALUES”

“As the inhabitants of these lands, the spring from which the most ancient civilizations that we cherish originated throughout history, we are also responsible to protect the humanity’s common values. We will enrich these ancient values, which are the assurance of cultural and social harmony across a vast geography besides our own, in the light of new facts and will pass them down to future generations,” President Erdoğan underscored.

“THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF THE RIGHTFUL”

“We have worked and endeavored all our lives to build a political and social order in which right makes might. Ensuring the full exercise of fundamental freedoms, we desire to secure the functioning of democracy in such a manner as to shelter the rightful and back the truthful. To that end, we will implement further regulations with a view to safeguarding the rights, laws and future of each individual without making any distinctions particularly between origins and faiths,” President Erdoğan said.

“THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF COMPASSION”

“In every situation and in every place where the humanity’s conscience has fallen silent, we have continued to speak as vociferously as ever. We maintain our endeavors with the belief that a world where conscience, mercy and compassion are put on ice would be unbearable for anyone. Inspired by our ancient state traditions, we will offer more inclusive services to our citizens in all areas, particularly in the realm of social aid,” President Erdoğan said.

THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF INDEPENDENCE AND FUTURE.

“We are strong today, and we will be even stronger tomorrow. We will continue to pursue new projects, new programmes, new works and new services for a Türkiye where all our citizens look to their future with confidence without doubting their independence,” President Erdoğan underlined.

THE CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE IS THE CENTURY OF THE YOUTH.

“We have almost completed the infrastructure needed to raise our youth, the assurance of our future, at the highest level with the spirit of TEKNOFEST in every area, from education to sports. With the understanding of ‘the future whose roots are in the past’, we will continue to prepare our youth on this foundation as open-minded, determined, well-qualified and hard-working individuals who abide by their values and know what they want,” President Erdoğan said.

“Besides the opportunities it provides to its own citizens, Türkiye today attracts the attention of millions of people from across the world, too. Although the sick mentalities, which consider everyone that comes to our country to be a refugee, and look at every foreigner they see with hatred, do not comprehend, Türkiye has become a regional and global center of attraction. We not only host the oppressed who seek to save their lives. People from all segments of life, from investors to professionals, see our country’s potential and head towards here. Every country in the world wide open their doors to such people that are a source of finance and qualified labor force,” President Erdoğan underscored.