*Photo: Cem Öksüz - Ankara/AA
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President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a speech today (April 18) at a conference organized by the pro-government Confederation of Public Servants Trade Unions (Memur-Sen), commenting on the March 31 local election results and the economic situation of the country.
Referring to the municipalities that his party lost, Erdoğan addressed the municipal employees who are also members of the Memur-Sen, urging them not to change their unions after the opposition takes over the municipalities.
Erdoğan reassured the employees that they cannot be fired as the Law No. 657 "strongly protects them."
In the elections, Erdoğan's AKP lost several metropoles to the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), including the capital Ankara and the largest city İstanbul.
"They make our economy look like collapsed"
Erdoğan also criticized the foreign media for its reporting on Turkey's economy, claiming that there is a "smear campaign."
"We are being subjected to a smear campaign. Regarding the economic situation in my country, unfortunately, some groups in the Western world, with all their media organs, make efforts make our economy look like collapsed, finished.
"Whatever you do, whatever titles you give [to your stories], Turkey is standing still and it will proceed on its way, becoming stronger.
"We are now used to this media. We are used to this trash. We are not fooled. They will always give these headlines.
"'Financial Times wrote this...' Whatever you write, the situation in my country is clear.
"They will get used to it, they will also accept the power of Turkey."
"Elections impose a burden on economy"
"In the last five years, we went to the polls seven times, for the plebiscite, the president, the members of parliament and the mayors.
"Although we never resort to election economy, it is evident that elections impose a heavy burden on the country's economy.
"The increasing rivalry in the election atmosphere cause tensions in both the sociology and the economy of our society.
"It is the time to cool the branding iron, to strengthen the unity and the togetherness.
"We will continue to implement the structural reforms."
Also speaking on the AKP's appeals against the election results, Erdoğan said, "When the YSK (Supreme Election Council) puts an end [to the process], it is also done for us." (EKN/VK)
