In his speech at the opening ceremony of the completed facilities and projects held at the Hayri Gür Sports Hall, President Erdoğan congratulated the Turkish National Football Team, which defeated its opponent Bulgaria by 6-1 in the World Cup European Qualifiers last night.
Congratulating all the players and the coaching staff who brought a football recital to the Turkish nation, Erdoğan said,"I wish our boys success in all their upcoming matches. May God clear their path and their fortunes."
"WE MADE THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN TRABZON'S HISTORY"
President Erdoğan reminded that two days ago, they held the mass opening ceremonies for 38 completed projects in Rize and laid the foundations for two projects.
Erdoğan, stating that they were gathered today for the mass opening of 130 projects worth 13 billion 514 million lira, continued his words as follows:
I congratulate each and every one of our ministries, municipalities, and institutions that contributed to these successfully completed projects. I want to emphasize this right at the outset: We love this city for the sake of God. That famous folk song says,"Trabzon metropolitan city, I can't get enough of its flavor, you can't love it from afar, come closer." Yes, that's how we love Trabzon. We love Trabzon with the passion of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, who was praised by our Prophet with the spirit of 1461.
We love as did Yavuz Sultan Selim, that great figure raised in Trabzon, who dedicated his life to the unity of the nation and the ummah. We love with the love, purity, and dignity of all martyrs, from the first raiders to our martyred son, Eren Bülbül. Thank God, we have served Trabzon in the best possible way, with love, just like our other 80 provinces. We have made the largest investments in Trabzon's history and provided services. In the last 23 years, we have made a total public investment of 540 billion lira in Trabzon, according to current figures.
GOOD NEWS OF A NEW AIRPORT FOR TRABZON
Erdoğan reminded that they inaugurated 130 investments today, ranging from transportation to healthcare, education to sports and cultural facilities.
Erdoğan pointed out that a day would not be enough to count all the investments one by one, and said:
We have completed the 2-kilometer section of Kanuni Boulevard, including the 670-meter Boztepe Tunnel. We have opened the Beşikdüzü-İskenderli-Tonya provincial road. We wish you all the best with both of our projects, totaling over 7 billion lira. We have also put Trabzon City Hospital, Trabzon University, and the Yomra intersection into service. Work on our light rail system project, which will speed up access to our city hospital and connect Akçaabat, Ortahisar, and Yomra, is underway under the coordination of our Ministry of Transportation and the Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality. We aim to complete all work by the end of the year and include our project in the 2026 investment program. We will connect all our cities from Samsun to Artvin with our high-speed rail project, which will reduce travel time between Trabzon and Samsun to two hours.
I'm delighted to share this good news with you today. I know Trabzon Airport is struggling to meet demand. We've completed the new project and, hopefully, will be putting it out to tender this year. We plan to begin work next year. Thus, we will build our third airport on the sea in Trabzon. God willing, we will celebrate its opening with you.
FACILITIES OPENED FOR SERVICE
Sharing information about the facilities completed and opened in Trabzon, Erdoğan said they had opened the new courthouse in Akçaabat, and that they had completed and opened the marketplace and parking lot.
Erdoğan stated that they have built drinking water, storage, and water treatment facilities in Trabzon's districts with 11 projects worth 632 million lira in investment, and that they have brought many services to Ortahisar, from the Zağnos Valley Amusement and Adventure Park to the construction of a multi-story parking garage, and infrastructure and landscaping in the Pazarkapı neighborhood.
President Erdoğan expressed his hope that these works would bring good luck.
Erdoğan emphasized that urban transformation is one of the areas they focus most on in Trabzon, and continued:
With the February 6th disaster of the century, we saw once again that earthquake preparedness should never be neglected. As part of the first phase of the urban transformation project in our Çömlekçi neighborhood, we completed 106 residences, 20 shops, and a parking garage. In our Bahçecik neighborhood, we completed 40 residences and 11 shops, including infrastructure and landscaping. We also completed 221 residences and 12 shops in Arsin, 144 residences and a commercial center in Maçka, 53 residences and a public garden in Şalpazarı, 25 workplaces and a small mosque in our Of district, and 26 disaster-proof housing units in Akçaabat. Thus, we brought 1.2 billion lira worth of housing, workplace, and infrastructure investment to our city. I wish them success in these investments.
"WE HAVE FINISHED THE CONCRETE ROAD PAVEMENT WORKS"
Erdoğan stated that they constructed and put into service the government buildings in Sürmene and Yomra districts, the Çarşıbaşı District Police Department and the Akçaabat Police Station headquarters, and continued:
We've completed infrastructure projects in 18 districts, including concrete road paving worth 183 million lira. We've also completed 10 educational centers in Çaykara, Ortahisar, and Akçaabat, an indoor sports hall in Araklı, and a multipurpose hall in Yomra. We've also built new sports fields and an administrative building on our university's Fatih Campus. We've opened our Sürmene student dormitory, our sports hall in Araklı, and our youth center in Kavaklı. We've modernized our district stadium in Düzköy and our athletics stadium in Söğütlü. We've presented 18 different projects across Trabzon, totaling 620 million lira, to your benefit. Today, we're officially opening them.
Erdoğan underlined the great importance they attach to healthcare services, reminding that they have built 64 healthcare facilities in Trabzon in the last 23 years, including 19 hospitals with 1,318 beds.
Erdoğan, noting that the construction of the 9,000-bed Trabzon City Hospital and the tender, project, and land acquisition processes for eight healthcare facilities are ongoing, said,"Today, we are officially opening the Yaylacık Healthy Life Center, two family health centers, and an emergency health services station in Akçaabat. We are opening four healthcare facilities in Maçka, Ortahisar, and Çaykara: two family health centers and two emergency health services stations."
Erdoğan, stating that they have officially launched 12 new projects totaling 295 million lira in various categories in agriculture and forestry, said,"Yes, with this single opening, we are bringing 130 projects and projects with a total investment value exceeding 13.5 billion lira to Trabzon. I hope that all these projects and investments will once again bring good fortune to Trabzon, our region, and our country. I extend my gratitude to our workers, engineers, architects, each and every one of our brothers and sisters who have contributed to our investments, and each and every one of our institutions."
Erdoğan emphasized that historical ruptures are occurring in Türkiye's immediate surroundings, and that, just as a century ago, the new world order is being shaped by events centered on the geography in which Türkiye is located, and noted the following:
The war between Russia and Ukraine is about to enter its fourth year. Tens of thousands have been killed, missing, and injured on both sides. Efforts to end the war have not yet yielded the desired results. This bloody war, which escalates from time to time, is unsettling the entire world, along with our region. As Turkey, we are pursuing a balanced and equitable policy here. We are in contact with both countries to halt the conflict and establish peace. We attach great importance to ensuring that the security of the Black Sea is not jeopardized. Thankfully, we have been successful in this so far. There has been no vulnerability to navigation in the Black Sea. Our brothers and sisters who earn their living from the fertile waters of the Black Sea have experienced no problems with their jobs or power. Of course, our desire is for the war to end as soon as possible. Because, as in every war, the winners here are the blood merchants. While the warlords' wealth grows, you see that it is the people who lose, the citizens on the street, and our region who pay the price. We are ready to do whatever it takes to resolve this crisis.
ENSURING A CEASE-FIRE IN GAZA
In his speech at the opening ceremony of the completed facilities and projects at the Hayri Gür Sports Hall, Erdoğan recalled that the first step towards lasting peace in Gaza was taken recently after two years of genocide.
Erdoğan stated that the people of Gaza breathed a sigh of relief for the first time after the ceasefire agreement, even though it was bittersweet and their hearts were wounded. He added that children's faces were smiling and civilians who had been driven from here and there due to Israeli airstrikes were returning to the places they had been forcibly expelled from.
"Thank God, aid arrivals to Gaza have accelerated. Our humanitarian aid trucks have also begun arriving in Gaza," Erdoğan said, adding that these are developments that give hope and bring relief to hearts after two years of oppression.
Erdoğan emphasized that not everything is over with the ceasefire agreement, saying,"Now, a much greater test awaits the Islamic world and humanity. First, it must be ensured that Israel stands by its signature. As it has done many times before, Israel must not be allowed to find an excuse to back out of the agreement. Second, Gaza must be swiftly rebuilt."
Recalling that Israel has rendered 85% of Gaza uninhabitable, polluted the water, destroyed gardens, demolished buildings, bombed schools, hospitals, and mosques, leaving nothing in the way of infrastructure in Gaza, Erdoğan said, “Steps must be taken on this issue before winter sets in, and our brothers and sisters in Gaza must be rescued from their makeshift shelters. As Turkey, we will do whatever is necessary here as well. We want stability in our region, we want security for everyone. Whatever we desire for ourselves, we desire the same for the oppressed in Palestine, Syria, Sudan, and Yemen. God willing, we will continue our efforts with this understanding.”
"EVERYONE ACCEPTED Türkiye'S PRINCIPLED POLICIES"
Stating that the aim of their policies is to increase the number of friends abroad and to win the hearts of the nation at home, Erdoğan said that they are building a Türkiye that is effective in the international arena, step by step, through meetings, visits, and peace diplomacy.
Emphasizing that they are working with all their might to expand the country's achievements in economy, trade and defense, Erdoğan noted the following:
At no point in our political lives have we been among those who bowed down. We were never among those who played nice with global powers. We never spoke one word at home and another abroad. We never cast a shadow over the trust of this nation, the nobility, honor, or dignity of this cherished nation. We always stood tall. We trusted God first, then our people. Almost everyone accepted Türkiye's principled policies, which speak to the conscience of humanity. Under our leadership, Turkey became a respected, influential, and listened-to actor in the international community. Everyone, including our adversaries, accepted the New Türkiye, but our country's main opposition party still hasn't grasped this. We haven't been able to teach the main opposition to stand tall against the West. We haven't been able to explain to these gentlemen that no matter what they do at home, they must act like the Turkish party when they go abroad.
The former chairman's record in this regard was already very poor; from Europe to America, he complained about Türkiye everywhere. But the new chairman has proven far more enthusiastic than his predecessor in complaining about our country to Westerners. They were supposedly going to become a Turkish party when they went abroad, but like every other promise they made, they broke it and didn't keep it. At one point, they were complaining about Türkiye to Western press outlets that came to our country, saying,"We are the best to protect your interests." Now they've taken things a step further. They're no longer waiting for them to come; they're going to them themselves. They're organizing tours to Europe to complain about Türkiye.
"IF YOU CAN'T DO GOOD, AT LEAST DON'T HARM"
Erdoğan, pointing out that CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, if he ever finds a foreign microphone, uses it to smear his country, said,"They're practically begging Western countries to let these thugs, who are accused of billions of lira in corruption, bribery, extortion, and bribery, escape prosecution. Yesterday, he went to Europe to complain again, and he slandered his own government by claiming it 'didn't lift a finger for Gaza.' He has sent over 100,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza in the last two years, cut off trade with Israel a year and a half ago, courageously defended the rights of the oppressed in Gaza at all international summits, and feels no shame in denigrating his country, which has become the voice and breath of Gaza throughout the world. Instead of outlining Türkiye's strong support for the Palestinian cause, he openly lies about his own state just for the sake of opposing it."
Criticizing Özel, Erdoğan continued:"We need to ask the CHP Chairman here. Don't you have any self-respect, or even the seat you hold? Don't you even respect your identity as Türkiye's main opposition party? Don't you feel any shame in criticizing your country in the presence of foreigners? Don't you blush when you denigrate Turkish democracy to your Western comrades just to pay off your debt? Don't you care about your own reputation? At least don't insult this nation's pride or let others trample on it. Since you're not doing any good to the homeland or the nation, at least don't harm it. These things won't change, they won't improve, they won't prosper. When I see these deplorable situations, believe me, I feel sorry for our country. I pray that God protects our country and our nation from their mentality. No matter what they do, we will continue to defend your rights, your laws, and your will, considering them our honor and dignity. We will proudly represent Türkiye and the Turkish nation everywhere." May my Lord help us and assist us."
President Erdoğan expressed his hope that the investments brought to Trabzon would be beneficial and congratulated those who contributed.
NOTES FROM THE CEREMONY
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's wife Emine Erdoğan, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum, Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak, Minister of the Interior Ali Yerlikaya, Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, AK Party Deputy Chairs Hayati Yazıcı, Ahmet Büyükgümüş, Mustafa Şen and Ömer İleri, AK Party Secretary General Eyyüp Kadir İnan, Trabzon Governor Aziz Yıldırım and Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ahmet Metin Genç also attended the ceremony.
Following the prayer, President Erdoğan and his entourage cut a ribbon and inaugurated the completed facilities and projects.
A poster with a photo of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the words"Gaza belongs to our brothers and sisters in Gaza, and it will remain so forever" was hung in the hall.
Those who attended the ceremony listened to President Erdoğan wearing Palestinian scarves that included the Turkish flag.
