President and AK Party Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed citizens at a campaign rally in the province of Giresun in the run-up to the local elections scheduled for March 31, 2019.

Stating that Turkiye ranks 1st in the world in humanitarian aid in proportion to national income and that the Turkish economy has grown by 3.5 times, Erdoğan stressed that the national income per capita has increased to 11 thousand dollars during AK Party governments.

President Erdoğan noted that Turkey embraces and protects millions of oppressed and wronged people.

Underscoring that Turkish citizens now enjoy visa-free travel to 70 countries in the world, President Erdoğan further stressed that there is today a Turkiye that takes any step and conducts any operation without asking anyone’s permission.

"The European Union is not sincere"

Referring to the meeting held in Egypt between the European Union and Egyptian officials, President Erdoğan, recalling that the EU is against the death penalty and that it is banned across the bloc.

"Can we speak of democracy in the EU countries that accepted the invitation of Sisi, who has executed 42 people since he came to power and nine young people last week, although capital punishment is banned in the EU?" the President asks.

"Can we speak of rights and freedoms in these countries? It is impossible to understand them," he added.

Stating that the EU is not sincere, Turkiye's President noted that "the incident occurred yesterday is the echo of their insincerity to us. Whatever they do, they will be remembered throughout history for their actions."

ILKHA