'Places with low vaccination rates may come under threat'

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Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the public following the Presidential Cabinet Meeting in the capital city of Ankara yesterday (July 12).

Erdoğan clarified the question of whether the official holiday on July 15, marking the anniversary of the failed coup attempt in 2016, and the official holiday on Eid al-Adha / Sacrifice Feast on July 20-23 would be combined. He said that July 16 was not declared an official holiday. However, the official holiday of the Sacrifice Feast will be 9 days, including July 19.

In other words, there will be an official holiday in Turkey from the evening of July 16 Friday to the morning of July 26 Monday, Erdoğan said.

'No difference between east-west, south-north'

Addressing the public, Erdoğan also talked about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and the ongoing vaccination efforts.

"The places where the vaccination rates are relatively low might come under threat. We have to hold on to the advantage that we have acquired thanks to serious efforts and sacrifices," said Erdoğan.

Noting that "the virus variants are threatening the world," Erdoğan said, "We are in a relatively good position in terms of both the strength of our health system and our vaccination rates." Warning that "the rules must be observed during the feast as well," he said, "We should not abandon the measures so that we will not go through the same troubles in the following period."

AKP Chair and President Erdoğan argued that "there has remained no difference between the east and west, the north and south of the country in terms of rights and freedoms and basic services."

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Erdoğan criticized disrespect for church

Erdoğan also criticized the incident where a group of people climbed over the entrance gate of the Surp Takavor Armenian Church in İstanbul's Kadıköy and danced on top of the gate on July 11. "I see it as a provocation targeting our unity and solidarity that [a group of people] showed disrespect by climbing over a church wall in İstanbul Kadıköy," Erdoğan stated.

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(KÖ/SD)