* News and photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)
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President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered speeches at the 7th Ordinary Provincial Congress of the AKP and an opening ceremony in Turkey's northwestersn Kocaeli province yesterday (November 8).
Erdoğan addressed a series of current issues, including the earthquake that hit the Aegean on October 30 and has so far claimed the lives of 115 people as well as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the ongoing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus.
Speaking about the İzmir earthquake, Erdoğan held the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) accountable for the earthquake, claiming that the party "has been buried under the rubble" in the quake:
'You are the responsible party'
"I would like to say a few things to those who hold such a sad occasion as an earthquake against my person. We have not forgotten what ensued disasters, especially earthquakes, in our country.
"We have either heard or seen the images that unfolded in the Erzincan earthquake to the Great Marmara earthquake. We have not forgotten the cost of those who drove our country into crises.
"In a place where they are themselves the responsible party, İzmir earthquake is an earthquake where the CHP has been buried under the rubble. Aren't they CHP municipalities, especially the [İzmir] Metropolitan Municipality? Didn't you permit the steps taken to construct all these, didn't you give the licenses? Now, you attempt to bill the government for it.
"You are the responsible party, you are responsible for these disasters. These are the ones who try to hinder every step taken by the government, primarily the steps for the urban transformation."
'The liberation of Shusha...'
Further in his speech at the Provincial Congress, President and AKP Chair Erdoğan also talked about the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict:
"I would like to begin by congratulating our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters, who have been fighting to save their seven cities and Nagorno-Karabakh that have been occupied by Armenia, on their victory in Shusha.
"The joy of our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters, who have been liberating step by step their occupied cities and Karabakh following the clashes triggered by Armenia's aggression, is also our joy.
"The liberation of Shusha also signals that liberation of remaining occupied territories is near. On behalf of myself, my family and my nation, I would like to once again congratulate all our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters, my brother Ilham Aliyev in particular."
'Pandemic lays bare injustice in the West'
In his speech at the opening ceremony, Erdoğan stated that the COVID-19 pandemic was "laying bare the injustices faced by Western countries."
"Distortion and injustice in Western societies have become much more obvious, especially during the coronavirus pandemic," he said.
Stressing that "people died in the so-called most developed countries due to lack of access to basic healthcare during the pandemic," he added, "Western countries are encountering significant problems not only in their social fabrics and peace, but also economically. The order of welfare, built on the blood, life and property of the oppressed and victims, is now falling apart."
Indicating that "policies of hostility to Islam and xenophobia were of no help tackling such issues," Erdoğan further said, "We are witnessing the mental misery under the veil of debauchery in Western countries, and how undeveloped countries are doomed to poverty." (RT/SD)
