In his speech at the AK Party Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting held via video conference, President of the Republic of Turkey and AK Party Leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described the sinister feature of Covid-19 pandemic, not allowing even the slightest complacency, the slightest easing, and bearing the potential to immediately reappear
Stating that the results obtained showed that the measures taken were appropriate, Erdoğan continued as follows:
"We need to continue to implement these measures without any compromise in order to save ourselves from this disease. Surely, we are well aware of what our nation has experienced in this period. We do not forget that our citizens over 65 and under 20 have not been able to leave their homes for weeks. We know very well the challenges faced by the owners and employees of the enterprises and businesses that had to interrupt their activities. We see what the curfews of sometimes up to 4 days mean to our people. We are well aware of the cost of these restrictions on life to such extent for our country and our nation. Yet, we also know that if now we do not make sacrifices in this period and do not leave the pandemic behind simultaneously with other countries, we will experience much more severe losses. We have endured all together in this process and with the permission of Allah we are coming to an end. We will be patient for a little more while, and we will reach good days."
“In this troubled period of about 1.5 months, I express my gratitude on behalf of myself and my party to every one of our 83 million citizens who have supported us by abiding by the measures and showed determination. I would like to thank our healthcare professionals, security officers, and everyone who has provided the services needed by our nation during this troubled period, on behalf of myself, my nation, and my party.” President Erdoğan said.
“We mobilize the country's resources directly for the nation”
Emphasizing that while keeping the health services at the highest level during the pandemic, with the support provided, they were trying to ensure that citizens from all social classes get through this process with the least amount of trouble, Erdoğan continued as follows:
“We have particularly paid special attention to supporting our citizens, who are economically in the lower-income group. We have provided cash support to 4.4 million households in two separate groups. The number of applications for the third phase of cash support has reached 4.5 million. In addition, we have implemented many support packages that will ease all sides of the real sector, from tradesmen to industrialists. We have implemented many programs for employees whose incomes have been reduced or wholly cut. Within the scope of the Economic Stability Shield, the amount of support we have announced so far has reached 200 billion liras. This is the highest direct support given to the real sector and the lower-income groups in Turkey. In the past, Turkey would use these kinds of resources to pay the price of banks that went bankrupt, projects that were wasted, investments that never came to an end, and crises that had no ground. Now, we mobilize and spend the resources of our country directly for the benefit of our nation. This means that every penny spent on the prosperity, peace, security, and future of the country and the nation is well-spent. As we will lift the measures taken against the pandemic gradually in line with our calendar, the gears of production will once again run at full pace, the pocket of our nation and our state will start getting filled once again. It is important that we overcome this pandemic in the soonest time possible with the least harm incurred on us.”
President Erdoğan noted that the nature of the change in the global order was providing new and really great windows of opportunity for the country, and continued his remarks as follows: "We, as the state and nation in unity, are determined to show the necessary willpower, complete our preparations, work industriously, and benefit from this historic opportunity. We, as AK Party, which has been the architect of the achievements in the last 18 years that have multiplied the ones altogether in the Republic period so far, will be the locomotive of the new period as well. All problems, troubles, and threats, particularly the pandemic, show that there is no alternative to AK Party when it comes to undertaking the responsibility. In the period ahead, we will champion our efforts to strengthen our privileged place in the heart of our nation, which itself is our greatest strength. The greatest responsibility in this regard belongs to you. May Allah be with us as our helper.”