President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday warned against political self-interest and delay in Türkiye’s fight against terrorism, urging all parties to put aside disputes and contribute to a united effort for a “terror-free Türkiye.”
“Türkiye's struggle to break free from the shackles of terrorism should not be sacrificed to fruitless disputes and various calculations of fortune. Many things happen in politics. But there is no excuse for stubbornness, dragging things out, or trying to water down the process,” Erdoğan said in a nationally televised address following a Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Complex.
He added that “neither the nation nor history will forgive this,” describing the process as a unique opportunity, particularly for the main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), to atone for past mistakes.
Erdoğan said those who benefit from terror and violence have seen their efforts undermined by the “profound foresight and sagacity” of the Turkish nation. He noted growing optimism in eastern and southeastern Anatolia – regions that historically suffered due to terrorism – and stressed the importance of maintaining transparency and broad participation in the process.
“We have demonstrated our goodwill on this matter on various occasions,” Erdoğan said. “We have clearly stated that we want all political parties in Parliament to contribute constructively to the activities for a terror-free Türkiye.”
The terror-free initiative was launched last year by Erdoğan ally Devlet Bahçeli, head of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), who called on the PKK’s jailed leader, Abdullah Öcalan, to appeal to the PKK to lay down arms.
Soon, his call evolved into a new initiative that saw People's Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) lawmakers visiting Öcalan in the island prison where he is incarcerated in the Marmara Sea. As a result and in a landmark development, the PKK in May announced its dissolution and the end of its four-decade terror campaign that cost tens of thousands of lives in Türkiye, as well as in Iraq and Syria.
Most recently, in a ceremony across the border in Iraq earlier this month, PKK members destroyed their weapons as part of the process.
Turkish intelligence monitors the process while Parliament will form a committee to weigh next steps in the initiative, from the fate of disarmed PKK members to their sentencing.
Erdoğan cited recent visits to Parliament by National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Ibrahim Kalın as a sign of the government’s commitment, adding that officials are closely monitoring statements made in response to those meetings.
“The terror-free Türkiye process is not only the project and dream of the People's Alliance, but also of our government, our state and most importantly, our nation,” Erdoğan said. “We see this dream becoming a reality step by step.”
He said the government is moving forward “diligently,” avoiding “hope-mongering” and “cheap populism,” and taking care to act “befitting the seriousness of the state and the weight and prestige” of the presidency.
He reiterated his call for cooperation, urging the main opposition to take a broader view of the process and “position itself on the right side of history.”
“The political establishment has reached the maturity to temporarily put aside differences of opinion when it comes to the nation's common interests, find common ground and seek solutions to problems through dialogue,” Erdoğan said.
He praised Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş for his inclusive approach and the conciliatory messages he delivered in meetings with political parties, expressing hope that “common sense and a sense of national responsibility” will prevail.
“We hope to resolve this issue permanently, in solidarity with the government and the opposition, and we reiterate our call for cooperation on this matter,” he said.
Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the MHP plan to hold public meetings over the summer to drum up support for a legal framework for the process.
Public support is growing, with a recent poll showing over 61% approval. However, political reactions remain mixed. While the main opposition CHP supports the initiative with caution, the Good Party (IP) strongly opposes it and has launched nationwide rallies against it.
Erdoğan also addressed the escalating threat of wildfires, citing climate change as a global challenge. He pointed to a sharp rise in burned forest areas worldwide over the last decade and warned that Türkiye is experiencing its driest period in five years.
The president outlined Türkiye’s fire response efforts, which include 27 aircraft, 105 helicopters, 6,000 land vehicles and 25,000 firefighting personnel, all supported by 132,000 volunteers. Fires are now detected within two minutes via 14 uncrewed aerial vehicles and 776 watchtowers, he said.
Erdoğan stated that Türkiye's advanced fire response system, which includes the OTAĞ Fire Management Aircraft and nearly 4,800 fire ponds, has reduced initial response times to approximately 10 minutes.
“We have more aircraft than countries in the Mediterranean region,” he said, adding that 96% of fires were human-caused and 149 suspects have been detained.
Calling the effort a “defense of our green homeland,” Erdoğan vowed continued vigilance and action.
