Turkey can achieve its economic goals only if virus kept under control, says Erdoğan

Turkey can achieve its economic goals only if the country manages to keep the number of coronavirus cases at a low level, President Erdoğan has said. "Turkey can reach its targets in production, employment and export if the country's pandemic trend improves," Erdoğan said on Aug. 24 following a cabinet meeting.

Duvar English

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that Turkey is experiencing a “slight” increase in coronavirus cases and that the country cannot reach its economic targets unless the spread of the virus remains under control.

Turkey ranks 18th in COVID-19 deaths, 24th in number of cases worldwideTurkey ranks 18th in COVID-19 deaths, 24th in number of cases worldwide

"Turkey can reach its targets in production, employment and export if the country's pandemic trend improves," Erdoğan said on Aug. 24 following a cabinet meeting.

“To take our country's normalization a step further, we have to take this struggle to a success. None of us can reach a state of comfort, peace and safety if we do not lower the number of patients, patients in intensive care unit and fatalities,” he said.

“Unfortunately, we are recently facing a negative picture. Mass activities such as weddings, funerals, condolence ceremonies and holidays have turned into a spread area for the virus,” Erdoğan said.

Erdoğan's statements came as Turkey registered 1,443 new cases of the virus, bringing the country's tally to date to 259,692.

On Twitter, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said that the death toll in the country reached 6,139, as 18 more people lost their lives.

"Our healthcare staff are trying to cure our patients with all their strength. It is measures that will decrease the number of patients," Koca wrote.

Topics Turkey Erdoğan Turkey coronavirus economic targest