President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Türkiye has become stronger domestically, more influential in its region and more respected internationally, highlighting the government’s investments and public services across the country.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Türkiye has become stronger at home, more influential in its region and more respected around the world, highlighting the government’s investments and public services across the country.

Erdoğan made the remarks at a ceremony marking the opening of Istanbul Airport’s fourth runway and several additional investments.

Speaking about his government’s efforts to improve living conditions for Türkiye’s 86 million people, Erdoğan said it had mobilized all available resources to help citizens feel secure and give young people greater confidence in the future.

“We have mobilized all our resources to ensure each individual of this country feels safe and our youth look to the future with confidence,” he said.

Erdoğan said the government had a responsibility to the Turkish people, whom he described as having been neglected and whose resources, he argued, had been squandered in previous decades.

He said the government’s goal was to strengthen the Republic of Türkiye through investment, development projects and public services, while advancing its vision of making the 21st century the “Century of Türkiye.”

“We have such a great ideal as to make this century the Century of Türkiye. We have done, and continue to do, whatever is necessary to this end,” Erdoğan said.

He said the government had worked across a broad range of sectors, including the economy, justice, healthcare, security, foreign policy and education.

“From economy to justice, health to security, foreign policy to education, we have endeavored, and continue to endeavor, to adequately serve this great nation,” he said.

Erdoğan also highlighted the scope of government services and investments across Türkiye, saying they had reached all 81 provinces and 922 districts and benefited the country’s population of 86 million.

“We have worked to live up to the trust placed in us by our nation through the services covering our 81 provinces and 922 districts as well as our entire population of 86 million,” he said.

“Thank Allah, we, with our nation, have forged a Türkiye that is strong at home, influential in its region, and respected across the world.”

The president said the government would continue moving forward with new goals focused on what he described as unity, vitality and strength.

The opening of the fourth runway at Istanbul Airport represents another expansion of the country’s major aviation infrastructure. Istanbul Airport has become a key hub connecting Türkiye with destinations across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Erdoğan said the government would continue pursuing major infrastructure projects and investments as part of its broader development agenda and its “Century of Türkiye” vision. (ILKHA)