Erdoğan reveals vision for 2053, calls it 'Turkey model'
President Erdoğan has said that a system which he defined as the "Turkey model” will lay the foundations of the country’s 2053 vision. "You cannot find anywhere else such a genuine democracy, a fair development objective, a long-established ideal of right and justice which are built on the concept of human values. Hopefully we will build our 2053 vision on such a model," he said.
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Although Turkey is called a "democracy," it is in fact the "Turkey model" which strives to bring the country to "heights that people deserve," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said during a meeting with his ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) provincial heads on Sept. 17.
"We are working to improve our country because our people deserve it, not because others wish so. We call it 'democracy' because it's a globally known concept. We are determined to continue this fight for all our brothers. This is called the Turkey model," Erdoğan said.
"You cannot find anywhere else such a genuine democracy, a fair development objective, a long-established ideal of right and justice which are built on the concept of human values. Hopefully we will build our 2053 vision on such a model," he said.
The year 2053 will be the 600th anniversary of the fall of Istanbul to the Ottoman Turks in 1453.
The president continued to slam critics of Turkey's activities abroad, seemingly Northern Syria and Libya, two regions where Turkey's involvement has caused controversy both domestically and internationally.
"If Turkey leaves Syria, will Syria suddenly have peace and freedom? If Turkey turns its back, will the coup plotters in Libya back down?"
The president also slammed French President Emmanuel Macron, with whom the president's relationship has become increasingly tense over the Eastern Mediterranean as Paris has been mediating Ankara's dispute with European Union (EU) countries over its search operations.
"If Turkey compromises everything, will France rid itself of the turbulence its greedy incompetent leader has caused? Will the EU try to keep all of its promises to us if Turkey forgoes all rights? I don't know a single person in the Turkish Republic who could say 'yes,'" Erdoğan said.
The AKP leader also said that the party had some 10.5 million members, which corresponds to about one eighth of the country, and urged his party members to "work more for 2023 goals."