HATAY, Turkey
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has used a local election rally in Hatay, on the country’s southern border with Syria, to claim that supporting the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) meant supporting Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and Egypt's military ruler, Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Erdogan used his AK Party rally to commemorate 53 people killed in a car bomb attack in the Turkish border town of Reyhanli last year. The prime minister accused some people in Turkey of supporting “terrorists” who crossed the border to carry out the attack.
Erdogan noted how Hatay city had been converted into Metropolitan Municipality and stated that the CHP, which retains strong support in Hatay, objected to the law which opened the way for Hatay’s status to be upgraded.
Stating that the opposition parties work for their political interests, Erdogan added: "We are here for poor people, for the oppressed. We will continue to develop Turkey in all fields."
The prime minister praised the region's multi-ethnic mix saying: "Hatay is an inspiration for the alliance of civilizations," referring to the cosmopolitan demographic structure of Hatay where Arabs, Kurds, Turks, Alawites, Sunnis and Christians live.
Asking people to vote for his Justice and Development (AK) Party in local elections on March 30, Erdogan said supporting the CHP meant supporting Syria's Assad and Egypt's military leader, al-Sisi.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
