Citizen says, ‘We cannot bring bread home,’ Erdoğan answers, ‘Drink some tea’

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President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was in Malatya province on Saturday (October 24). While he was passing along the streets of the city, a shopkeeper said to him, "We cannot bring bread home," to which Erdoğan responded, "It sounds like an exaggeration to me; here, drink some tea to enjoy yourself."

This exchange of words between Erdoğan and the citizen has caused serious public backlash on social media as well as among the opposition. The criticisms have become louder especially after Turkish Lira fell to 8 against the US dollar, in a first, earlier today (October 26).

'We cannot bring bread home'

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Malatya MP Veli Ağbaba has shared the video on his social media account and said:

"This video was captured in Malatya! Minibus and service drivers were telling Erdoğan about their problems. The shopkeeper: We cannot bring bread home! Erdoğan: This remark sounds like a bit of an exaggeration to me. Here, drink this tea to enjoy yourself."

Bu görüntüler bugün Malatya'da çekildi!

Minibüsçüler ve servisçiler, Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan'a dertlerini anlatıyor.

Esnaf: "Evimize ekmek götüremiyoruz!"
Erdoğan: "Bu laf bana abartı geldi. Al bu keyif çayını iç." pic.twitter.com/4c7Ivkkcc1

— Veli AĞBABA (@veliagbaba) October 25, 2020

'There is no need to exaggerate'

CHP Spokesperson and Tekirdağ MP Faik Öztrak has also said, "Bread on the hook, free cake, and, if not, then, tea to enjoy oneself... There is no need to exaggerate. Dollar is now over 8 lira."

Askıda ekmek,
Bedava kek,
O da olmazsa keyif çayı...
Abartmaya gerek yok.
Dolar 8 lirayı aştı. pic.twitter.com/bmrVDVMqv3

— Faik Öztrak (@faikoztrak) October 26, 2020

'We are getting poorer'

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Vice Chair responsible for Economy and Diyarbakır MP Garo Paylan has said, "While Erdoğan was distributing 'tea to enjoy oneself', the dollar became 8.05 TRY. We are getting poorer and poorer every day with the one-man regime!"

Erdoğan "keyif çayı" dağıtırken, dolar 8,05 TL oldu.
Tek adam rejimiyle geçen her gün yoksullaşıyoruz!

— Garo Paylan - Կարօ Փայլան (@GaroPaylan) October 26, 2020

'Would you like to have some tea after this?'

CHP İstanbul Provincial Chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu has also recalled that the dollar is over 8 lira and asked, "Would you like to have some tea to enjoy yourselves after hearing this?"

Üstüne bi keyif çayı içmeye ne dersiniz?
Ben içemedim içebilenlere afiyet olsun, yarasın hatta... pic.twitter.com/Qc9hp66DQi

— Canan Kaftancıoğlu (@Canan_Kaftanci) October 26, 2020

(DŞ/SD)