President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, during the opening of the UEFA Istanbul Representation, spoke about the earthquake that occurred in Istanbul on April 23, providing an update on the government's response to the disaster.
Erdoğan began by acknowledging the impact of the earthquake on local residents, stating: "Yesterday, in a meeting held at the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) with the participation of our ministers and bureaucrats, we received the most up-to-date information and gave the necessary instructions. The absence of any loss of life is our greatest consolation."
He emphasized the government's immediate actions, stating: "As the state, we are working with a sense of mobilization across all units. In our upcoming Cabinet meeting, we will evaluate the issue thoroughly and then make the necessary statements to the public."
President Erdoğan also addressed the ongoing political discourse surrounding the tragedy, stressing the importance of unity. "We do not approve of issues that shake us all, like earthquakes, being used for daily political polemics. We do not wish to engage in arguments with anyone during such sensitive times. Furthermore, we consider this a disrespect to our people. We call on opportunists, who are racing to take advantage of the situation, to act with conscience and a sense of responsibility."
He emphasized the importance of national solidarity in such challenging times. "These are not times for politics, but for unity, solidarity and remembering our brotherhood as a nation. Anything that damages this empathy is wrong, untimely and unnecessary."
The president also focused on the need for long-term solutions to prevent future disasters. "Instead of looking for excuses and producing justifications, we should focus on producing more work and deeds and direct all our energy into renewing our building stock as soon as possible. We should focus on swiftly implementing urban transformation projects without paying attention to what the marginal voices against every effort say," he said.
Closing his remarks, Erdoğan expressed confidence in the nation's resilience, stating: "When we work together, hand in hand, we can make great progress in a short time. Because we are a nation that has the power, capacity, means and practicality to do this. As long as we use our energy and resources wisely and do not allow division among us, may God protect our country and nation from all kinds of disasters, earthquakes, accidents and calamities."
