"Only Turkey's full membership can save the European Union from the deadlock"
"Only Turkey's full membership can save the European Union from the deadlock"
Following the Presidential Cabinet Meeting, President Erdoğan said, "Only Turkey can save the European Union from the deadlock it has fallen into, from economy to defense, from politics to international reputation. It is Turkey that will give life to Europe, whose economy and demographic structure is rapidly aging."
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a press statement after the Presidential Cabinet Meeting held at the Presidential Complex.
Commenting on the issues discussed at the meeting, President Erdoğan said the following:
"I send my greetings with the same feelings to my fellow citizens who follow us in front of their screens and through social media platforms. I would like to express my respect and love to all our friends, brothers, sisters, cognates and relatives who have swaddled their love for Turkey in their hearts and find peace in its warmth.
"WE PATIENTLY CONTINUE OUR STRUGGLE TO BUILD A GREAT AND STRONG TURKEY"
We have just completed our Cabinet meeting where we discussed many issues from economy to foreign policy, from industry to domestic and foreign security. With the understanding of 'He who serves finds honor', we patiently continue our struggle to build a great and strong Turkey day and night. Since our last Cabinet meeting, we have tried to pay our debt of service to our beloved nation by making this country our flag.
German President Mr. Steinmeier's visit to our country was meaningful for us. We discussed in detail many issues on our common agenda such as the fight against terrorism, irregular migration, visa problems of our citizens, defense industry and issues concerning the Turkish community in Germany.
We have been drawing attention to the rise of anti-immigrant and Islamophobic far-right movements in Western countries, especially in Europe, for some time. Unfortunately, many recent elections have proven our concerns to be justified. Today, far-right movements have become the determining actors of politics in Europe.
"LIBERAL DEMOCRACY IS IN SERIOUS CRISIS"
In addition to economic factors, the failure of the European center politics to read the spirit of the times correctly is one of the main reasons for this. It is a fact that liberal democracy, the most attractive ideology of the last century, has entered a serious crisis and bottleneck. Liberal democracy, which was once considered to be the cure for all problems, has lost its former power, reputation and influence. It is no longer able to chart a course for society, to give meaning to politics, to give people hope and confidence.
Politics, like life, does not accept a vacuum. This is what is happening in the West today. The vacuum in European democracies is being filled by far-right demagogues, as seen in the recent elections. Add to this the West's ambivalent attitude towards the 471-day genocide in Gaza.
"WESTERN ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS HAVE FAILED THE TEST OF HUMANITY IN GAZA"
Western organizations and leaders who watched the massacre of more than 61,000 civilians, mostly children and women, failed the test of humanity in Gaza. Especially in this process, it has become clear again that the Western values, which have been shown as an example to the world for years, do not have a common goal of benefit for humanity. It is not possible to recover the loss of reputation and trust in a short time. In the face of this picture, the main thing for us is the protection of our interests. Likewise, we attach great importance to the peace and well-being of our citizens living in Europe for 4-5 generations. We are carefully following the developments to ensure that the reality of the extreme right does not pose a threat to European Turks and Muslims.
I think it is also useful to mention the following here: We attach importance to the fact that our relations with the European Union have recently regained their rhythm. The developments in Syria as well as the discussions in the context of the war in Ukraine reaffirm Europe's need for Turkey. But here I would also like to say this very clearly: Only Turkey can save the European Union from the deadlock it has fallen into, from economy to defense, from politics to international reputation. Turkey's full membership to the Union can save it.
"IT IS TURKEY THAT WILL GIVE LIFE TO EUROPE"
It is Turkey, Turkey's full membership that will give life to Europe, whose economy and demographic structure are rapidly aging. The sooner the European Union faces these realities, the better it will be for them. As always, we wish to advance our membership process on the basis of mutual benefit and respect with a constructive understanding. Obviously, if the necessary will is shown, we can get results in a short time. But for this to happen, the European Union and the countries that shape it must stop insisting on wrongdoing. We will see together in the coming period where the process will evolve. As Turkey, we will continue to fix one leg of the compass in Ankara with a 360-degree perspective and embrace the whole world with the other.
Dear friends, as a matter of fact, our visit to Southeast Asia last week once again demonstrated the success of our foreign policy, which is entrepreneurial, reconciled with its historical and cultural depth, and centered on people and conscience. Our visit to Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan, the shining stars of their regions with a total population of nearly 650 million, was extremely productive.
With a total of 48 documents we signed, we further strengthened our commercial, economic, defense, cultural and humanitarian relations. We set new targets in foreign trade. We agreed to advance our defense industry cooperation, including joint production. It was impossible not to be touched by the kindness, affection and the flood of love that overflowed into the streets for us and our delegation. In all three countries, we received great acceptance not only from the official authorities but especially from the people. Thousands and tens of thousands of people greeted us with our flags. Roads, buildings and billboards were embroidered with photographs depicting our ancient friendship with these countries. As an honorable son of this nation, we welcomed the compliments emphasizing Turkey's strengthening role in the Islamic world. Together with our nation, we successfully completed another visit that reassured our friends and struck fear into the hearts of our opponents.
"WE WILL MAKE TURKEY THE FOCUS OF HIGH TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS"
Of course, we do not stop there, another Chinese company is also investing in Samsun right now, it has completed its preparations, and we will see the foundation of this brand being laid in Samsun in a very short time. We will continue to work with determination to make Turkey the center of high technology investments.
The Reform Program for the Century of Turkey, which we announced yesterday at the 8th Ordinary Grand Congress of our party, was prepared in great detail and with great care, without skipping any issue. Our reform program will hopefully give our country a different horizon in advanced technology investments. With the reform program, which we have built on 5 pillars: economic transformation, green and digital transformation, social policies, judiciary and fundamental rights, political and administrative regulations, we will raise Turkey from the upper-middle income group to the league of high-income countries.
At today's Cabinet meeting, we discussed the 2030 Industrial and Technology Strategy, which will strengthen our country's independence in industrial production and technology. We also evaluated the projects with a budget of seven billion dollars that will soon be implemented in the fields of mobility, petrochemicals, defense and solar energy technologies with the support we provide. We are on the right track in the field of industry and technology. God willing, we will reach our goals here as well.
Dear friends, yesterday we completed the congress marathon of our party, which started on October 12. We conducted an exemplary congress process that brought credibility to Turkish democracy.
DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO END THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
With the relief of concluding our congress process, I hope that from now on we will focus more on foreign visits and contacts abroad. As you know, last week we hosted President of Ukraine Mr. Zelenskiy in our country. Today, we received Mr. Lavrov, the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation.
We find these visits very important at a time when diplomatic efforts to end the Russian-Ukrainian war are intensifying. With the motto that war has no winners and peace has no losers, we have always worked for the establishment of peace since the first day of the conflict. We have developed balanced relations with both neighboring countries without falling into the trap that the opposition wants to draw us into. We hosted direct negotiations between the two countries in Istanbul in March 2022 when almost everyone was adding fuel to the fire. As a result of our contacts with the parties, we launched the Black Sea grain initiative. We ensured that a total of 33 thousand tons of grain reached the world markets through the Turkish Straits, thus preventing the global food crisis.
"UKRAINE MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS AND THIS WAR MUST BE ENDED THROUGH MUTUAL NEGOTIATIONS"
Now we see that a new equation is being set up. In principle, we welcome the will of the American President Mr. Trump to end the war through negotiations. This approach of ending the war through negotiations is in line with Turkey's policy of the last 4 years. But the following fact should not be neglected here: The road to a just and lasting peace can only be paved with an equation in which all parties involved are represented. Except for the Istanbul process, Russia has been excluded from the tables that have been tried to be set up so far, and therefore the desired result has not been achieved. If the new process is to yield results, Ukraine must be included in the process and this war must be brought to an end through mutual negotiations. I expressed our fair stance on this issue both to Mr. Zelenskiy, to Mr. Macron, the French President with whom I spoke by phone yesterday, and to Mr. Lavrov today.
We are ready to provide all kinds of support for the process to lead to lasting peace, including hosting the talks. Our region has had enough of blood, tears and conflict. We want this war, which has cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and imposed a heavy price on both countries, to end. As a state that has earned the trust of both countries with its balanced stance, we will do our best for a lasting and just peace.
In this process, we will not compromise on issues such as the peaceful life of our brothers and sisters in Gaza in their own land, the security of Lebanon and the protection of the territorial integrity of Syria, we will follow the developments in these regions and we will stand by our brothers and sisters with all our means. In a manner befitting the greatness of our country, we will continue to defend the right and strive for peace and solidarity tomorrow as we did yesterday.
"I CONGRATULATE 85 BILLION PEOPLE ON RAMADAN"
Dear nation, distinguished members of the press; we are in the excitement, hope and happiness of approaching Ramadan, the month of mercy, forgiveness and abundance, and hopefully reaching the sultan of 11 months. We will start the blessed Ramadan by performing the first taraweeh next Friday and having the first sahur and iftar on Saturday. I hope that the month of Ramadan will bring good to our country, our nation, the Islamic world and humanity. I congratulate each and every member of 85 million people in advance.
I also wish a Happy Ramadan to our 7 million citizens living abroad, to our brothers and sisters across our geography of heart and culture, and to all our friends in different corners of the world who have pinned their hopes on our country.
"WE STRIVE TO PRODUCE LASTING WORKS FOR OUR ENTIRE CIVILIZATIONAL BASIN"
Let us never forget this for a moment: Economic difficulties come and go, but our solidarity endures. Adversity comes and goes, but our affection endures forever. Troubles come and go, but the prayers of the oppressed whose tears we wipe remain with us. The world is a place of testing, and we are trying to pass this test with flying colors. Together with our country and our nation, we strive to produce lasting works for our entire civilization basin. I say may God help us and help us.
I congratulate you again on the beginning of Ramadan, the middle of which is mercy, the middle is forgiveness and the end is salvation from eternal torment.
I wish that the decisions we have taken in our Cabinet Meeting will be beneficial, I greet you once again with the most heartfelt feelings, and I entrust you to God."