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President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed his party's provincial congresses in Adıyaman, Aydın, Bingöl, Bitlis, Elazığ, Kilis, Manisa, Mardin and Muş via video conference yesterday (January 18).
As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), President and AKP Chair Erdoğan has shared his vision leading up to the 2023 general elections, saying that Turkey is "activating its potential" with a focus on investment, production, growth, employment and exports.
Noting that "his government is implementing the reforms needed for economic growth," Erdoğan has said, "We are carrying out necessary reforms required for strong growth in the economy. We are determinedly implementing policies which we developed."
Erdoğan has also noted that the AKP government is "making advances towards a new process" in Turkey. "We are making advances in accordance with this new process in all areas including education, health, transportation, energy, industry and trade," he has said.
Commenting further on foreign affairs as well, President Erdoğan has stated, "It is a fact that aggression against our country increases as Turkey rises strongly both regionally and globally."
Some highlights from his speech are as follows:
'A historic transformation outside our borders'
"We are mobilizing our country's potential with an approach based on investment, production, growth, employment and export.
"In addition to this, we are laying the groundwork for a historic transformation outside our borders. We have shown our determination to the entire world in this regard thanks to the strong will we have displayed on critical matters, from the Eastern Mediterranean to Karabakh.
"['Aggression against Turkey'] That is so, because with the moves it has made, Turkey is shaking up a century-old order built on oppression and exploitation. The maps drawn at tables in other parts of the world can no longer be implemented in our region.
"The plans prepared behind closed doors can no longer be put into action in our region at the cost of the blood of the innocent. Civil wars can no longer be ignited easily or terrorist acts can no longer be fueled in our region in order for the natural resources to be easily looted.
"Countries can no longer be put under pressure in our region by turning small conflicts into quagmires. Is it possible for a country that foils this order not to be targeted? You will see this very pain if you take a look behind all the materials used in the campaigns carried out against Turkey." (DŞ/SD)