Interior Minister Soylu: We Don’t Hesitate to Take Any Precautions

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu has answered the questions of journalist Cüneyt Özdemir on a live program aired on social media.

Noting that citizens are observing social isolation as part of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) measures, Minister Soylu has said, "We do not hesitate to take any measures. Life has withdrawn into homes by around 95 percent now."

Curfew

In response to a question on whether a curfew will be declared or not, Soylu has indicated that there are no precautions that they cannot take:

"There are no measures that we cannot take. We do not hesitate to do it. We evaluated it with our governors. Then, we presented it to our President. Life came to a standstill by 80 percent around 4-5 days ago.

"We can impose a curfew. We will not place security, health and food providers under curfew. We have ensured social isolation apart from that. You have seen the streets, the squares...

"The ones in Istanbul and Ankara have been completely empty. The number of people using public transportation across Turkey has also decreased by 60-70 percent. Intercity travel has also dropped by 94 percent.

"We can keep people at home with the 'Stay home' calls. We follow the parameters, observe and try to manage them. In the current situation (today and tomorrow), life has withdrawn into homes by around 95 percent. We will also observe tomorrow and the day after that.

'We are not concerned that economy will be affected'

'We do not have any concerns that the economy will be affected. Economy will surely be affected. Every country is affected. We do not know what will happen to the economies of Europe, China and the US after that.

"What I said to our governors in the morning is the following: Tighten the controls on the intracity entries and exits. Do not miss any private vehicles. Busses will definitely be controlled.

"I said, 'Check each and every one of them in intracity private transportation, be that municipality busses, public busses, the minibuses. Whatever violates social distance or if the vehicle needs to be impounded, do what is necessary. I do not care whether it is public or private."

'Around 20 security personnel among the patients'

In response to a question whether there are any security personnel among the ones who have contracted Covid-19 in Turkey, Soylu has said,

"There are both the ones who have the symptoms and the ones who have it due to their contacts. The current number is around 20, there are also who have recovered among them.

"But it is of considerable importance for us that our friends are in the field and fulfil their duties properly as well as they keep healthy. It is also very important for the country."

Detained semi-trailer truck driver

Minister Soylu has also answered a question regarding the semi-trailer truck driver who was released after being detained for saying, "It is not the virus that will kill me, but your system will do it."

Soylu has said, "I look whether he is really poor or not, whether there is any intention behind it or not. There is no sense in sharing posts that will provoke our nation and causing trouble for what the state does and the patience the nation displays at home. Everyone is having difficulties at home. We are a social state and will not let anyone get hungry or homeless." (TP/SD)