Turkish President Recep Taip Erdogan exclusive interview on Top Story

Full interview:

Sokol Balla: Good evening and welcome on Top Story. We have traveled to Istanbul, and tonight we are at the house of one of the most powerful people of the world, the President of Turkey, Recep Taip Erdogan. Mr. President, thank you for having us in your home.

President Erdogan: I would like to thank you and the entire people of Albania for having this opportunity to get together here in the presidential mansion in Istanbul. And I would like to thank you.

Sokol Balla: Mr. President, how Turkey sees Albania and Albanians in light of our past relationship?

President Erdogan: The relations between Turkey and Albania have been enjoying a depth unprecedented with any other country. We have been together for 500 years and our togetherness had always been very strong, from then until now and has always continued that way, in a committed fashion. Albania is a very unique country, housing very different groups, following different religions and cultures, and, in my point of view, Albania has a different respectfulness with the Muslim population and with the Christian population. There is a very rich co-existence. This richness, I hope and pray, shall be sustained in the future by Albania.

And there are those who are spending efforts to separate and divide Albania. I hope and pray they will hit a wall, because with these features, with these sensitivities, Albania becomes even a more beautiful country. This richness, this wealth of Albania, should never be touched by anyone. The people and the government in Albania should never allow others touch this wealth.
Mr. Prime Minister, and my dear friend Edi, right now I would like to wish him the best of luck in his endeavors. The recently elected President, I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors as well. I personally attach great significance to the solidarity between the Prime Minister and the President. The forthcoming elections in Albania will mark the beginning of a new era. I believe that the people of Albania will strengthen their own future.

Sokol Balla: It seems that you are very well informed, Mr. President, because, actually, in the latest days between the President elect Mr. Meta and Prime Minister Edi Rama, there have been certain strong debates about the elections. I hope they both receive well this message from you.

President Erdogan: Of course, truth be told, the President elect and Prime Minister in Albania, we would be upset to see them having such debates. In Albania, the unity between the President and the Prime Minister is very important for the future of the process.

Such divisions between a President and a Prime Minister will not bring any gains to any country. It would make any country lose a lot of things. I know that in this period the debates will be remedied, and with the new elections, the spirit of solidarity and the spirit of togetherness will bring forth a new kind of strength to the entire Albania. And Albania is standing strongly on its own feet. I know that Albania will take benefit of the future that lies ahead.

Sokol Balla: When you say there are forces that are trying to divide and damage Albanians, to whom are you referring exactly? And what will Turkey do in solidarity, to support Albania and Albanians on this?

President Erdogan: Of course, I am not going to name any names. In this context, the politicians in Albania, they share their views and opinions whenever they get together with us. Whatever we can do, politically, commercially, culturally, military-wise – we can provide all sorts of support to Albania and we are determined to provide all sorts of support to Albania whenever it is needed, because we think Albania is a very important country in the Balkan. It is a source of solidarity, and in terms of preserving stability, I think Albania plays a crucial role. The stability of the Balkans is very important after all. A country having such significance in the stability of the Balkans, should not suffer from any weakness, or else we would be very upset. We would be very much upset for the Balkans if Albania suffers of any weakness, that’s why we need to keep the solidarity and togetherness of Albania strong, and we shouldn’t allow others to benefit of any possibility to do otherwise.

Sokol Balla: Are Albanians like a special investment of Turkey in your personal new vision, and Turkey’s new vision of the Balkans?

President Erdogan: That’s not how we perceive the situation. Everything should not be considered economically. You need to have a vision of civilization and history, and at the onset I’ve mentioned that our relations date back to 500 years. That’s why that is not how we approach Albania. We have many historic artifacts dating back from the time of our ancestors in Albania. And we have kinship with Albanians. There are many people with whom we are relatives, not only in Albania, but also in the entire Balkan region, also in Macedonia, Bosnia Herzegovina. This is what you perceive, this is what you see. All around these places you have kinship, and we don’t want to see any divides. And the same thing applies to Serbia. We have been enjoying a historical depth in our ties, in our bonds. We want those bonds to remain strong. These bonds should be preserved as is, and should be further expanded, further solidified, so that these countries can stand on their feet quite confidently.

Sokol Balla: Prime Minister Edi Rama, your friend, has said that the refusal from European countries to given Albanians the integration perspective, will result in other forces influencing and finding other solutions, and maybe forcing Albanians unify themselves wherever they are, in Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo, hinting the creation of a unique Albanian state. Do you think there is a possibility, a perspective, or a risk of that?

President Erdogan: This is not what we would wish to think of. Every country should be considered in their own geographical conditions, and interventions just as the ones that we have seen back in history, are wrong or would be wrong. Whatever is going on in the Middle East is quite obvious, In Iraq or in Syria as well. We see the repercussions of such interventions at our doorstep. We don’t want to see similar interventions in the Balkans. There are those who have planned calculations about the Balkan states and we will not allow them to execute those intentions. I think the territorial integrity of the Balkan countries should be respected once and for all. This is what we defend and it should be seen. Macedonia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Albania or Serbia, regardless of the name of the country, those games should not be played anymore. All of these countries should preserve their territorial integrity. Just as it was in the past, they should preserve their territorial integrity in the future.

Sokol Balla: Albanians do have a Muslim-moderate majority. Many times, from certain European circles, this has been seen as a problem, especially when it comes to European integration. I think Turkey suffers from the same problem. What countries with a national support for EU, but with a Muslim majority, have to do and how can they react towards this kind of rigidness from the European Union.

President Erdogan: It is very difficult to predict what has not taken place yet. We are a negotiating country with the EU. We are not members of the EU yet. It wouldn’t be accurate to comment on what has not happened yet. But I should be very clear on my remarks. Whatever the religion is, there are many religions co-existing in Albania peacefully. Those who cannot digest that unity, if they are willing to divide that country, we say we need to preserve that will to co-exist. This is what we always appeal. What is going on in Bosnia Herzegovina is quite obvious. The Dayton system was enacted there, and the Dayton system did not bring along what was expected. We have a saying in our minds. This is something we have used in the alliance of civilization initiative. Our differences are a source of wealth for us, a source of richness for us. This is something we should not be intimidated by. We should be very comfortable with our differences. In our understanding of civilization, in our understanding of culture, this is a fundamental principle which needs to be defended. This would bring gains to Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina and Kosovo.

Sokol Balla: Mr. President there has always been a talk around our countries in the Balkan, that President Erdogan in Turkey has a certain favorite group of parties in Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania. Is that true? Has it anything true in it?

President Erdogan: I think this is a very ugly claim. Saying that would not be very pretty. There might be political parties with whom we share same ideologies. In Europe there might be political parties that we see eye to eye with. Many political parties in the Balkan countries are expressing their opinions with their counterparts in other European countries. This happens. Of course, there are political parties willing to benefit from our experiences. There are political parties willing to learn about our political experiences and political opinions. And we would be more than happy to help them intellectually. This is the transmission of an experience which should not disturb anybody. This is a sharing of knowledge and should not disturb anybody. Of course, as Turkey, we will never be involved in a political competition arena. This wouldn’t be true. This wouldn’t be right, or else the political competition there would be meaningless. But, internationally speaking, if certain political parties ask for our opinion, for our know-how and knowledge, we will be more than happy to share our experiences with them.

Sokol Balla: Now that I recall, you have been very close to Albanian Prime Ministers during your time as Prime Minister and of course as President. You have even invited them in your personal events, like weddings of your children, or inauguration of big things, such as construction of bridges in Turkey. How do you recall these Prime Ministers and what is the most interesting or the ugliest thing you remember from them.

President Erdogan: Of course, this is not something that only we do. Many leaders around the world invite world leaders to the inauguration of significant events. They might wish to see the presence of their close friends from several countries around the world. This is the necessity of being a political visionary. I invite many of my friends in the Balkan. I invite many of my friends in European countries to the inauguration ceremonies in Turkey. For example, from Italy, Silvio Berlusconi was invited to several events and openings. And similarly, from Albania, another Prime Minister was invited to the inauguration of major investments and projects. Mr.Karamanlis of Greece was invited to the wedding of my child here in Istanbul. These invitations strengthen our mutual relations. This is how I perceive the situation to be. And at the same time, many years might pass by, and whenever we get together, we immediately remember our fond memories. Quite recently, when my daughter got married, we had invited many of my friends from around the world and I would like to thank them for having participated, for having attended, which made us very happy, from the Prime Minister of Pakistan, to the wife of the Sheik of Qatar. They have all attended to the ceremony and we were very happy to see them. My children were very happy to see them. This is very important to strengthen our bonds. Thanks to Edi Rama, the Prime Minister responded to my invitation ever so cordially. He attended many events, such as the inauguration of the bridge, the third bridge in Istanbul.

Sokol Balla: And you were his driver.

President Erdogan: Of course, these are very important steps to be taken forward by visionaries.

Sokol Balla: Mr. President, let’s talk about a very delicate issue. How is Turkey coping after last year’s events?

President Erdogan: Right now, in the post-July-15th coup attempt, despite all of the interventions of the Fetulahist terrorist organization, we have covered a significant distance forward. Per capita income is more than 11.000 dollars right now, and it is still going forward. Especially within the first quarter of this year, we have achieved a growth of 5%, which is very important. Right after China and India, we are ranking number 3 in terms of economy growth, 5%, which is a significant development. And I know that this figure is going to continue to grow. We have taken many measures. We are taking a significantly forward in the export capabilities of Turkey. The share of the exports in this growth rate is more than 2.5%, and along with all these steps, in domestic and foreign investments, there will be significant increases. There are many foreign investors coming, and we are having discussions with them. There are many domestic investments taking place. Because of the confidence-building activities, the investors have stepped into the field, becoming much more active. With investments, many gains will be absorbed in employment and manufacturing capabilities of Turkey. And in the economic competition round around the world, we are going to become even stronger.

Sokol Balla: So, Albanians will continue to come to their favorite place for Holidays, Turkey and Antalya, right?

President Erdogan: We would be more than happy to welcome them, because we have been enjoying different and strong bonds with the Albanians. I never forget that there are many tourists going from Turkey to Albania. Albania is very strong in terms of coastal tourism, has many beauties to offer. I know that there are many Turkish citizens traveling to Albania. And even further than that, the Turkish investors, the Turkish entrepreneurs, are getting much more involved in tourism activities.

Sokol Balla: When Edi Rama took power in 2013, there were controversies when he changed the axis of preferable partnership. He said it is not Greece anymore, but it’s Turkey. But there are many people who see that Turkish investments are not enough. It should have been more.

President Erdogan: In terms of investments, as you might be aware, the Turkish investments in Albania have reached a very serious level, around 3 billion dollars. I am not sure how much of investments have you been receiving from the European member states. And these investments of Turkey will not come to a halt. On the contrary, these investments will be sustained. Especially in Marina investments, there will be some initiatives taken up. In this region, Turkey, Greece and Italy will become preferred trade partners, and they will be taking a leap forward altogether, especially in the field of tourism. The Turkish businessmen, as I have said before, will be getting more and more involved in the tourism investments. In Albania we have a large array of investments. A couple of days ago, some of our entrepreneurs approached me for their perspective investments in Albania, and I think, after the elections, they are willing to see the landscape, and a significant leap forward will begin in the investments area of Albania.

Sokol Balla: Mr. President, you mentioned the role of Fetulah Gulen in the coup events of last year. My television, Top Channel, published this year details of how the Turkish Ambassador passed a non-paper to Albanian authorities about presumable Gulen interest and investments in Albania. Has Turkey officially requested control, seizure, and interruption of certain businesses it considered backed by Gulen in Albania, such as some companies or a chain of schools and colleges?

President Erdogan: This is what I wish to say. I would like to voice a special request for the Albanian people. Please don’t send your students to the schools ran by the Fetulahists. And secondly, my dear friend, Edi Rama, I had a special request for him. I would like to voice the same request, vis-à-vis the President: Please, no longer have confidence in the schools of these Fetulahists. Instead, contact the Maarif Foundation Schools, co-established by the Turkish Ministry of Education. Because the Maarif Schools will not victimize the Albanian youth, and they will be educated in the best fashion possible. So no longer resort to Fetulahist schools. Please! In many countries around the world, Maarif Foundation of Turkey have established close contacts with NGOs and with the Ministries of Education, in order to attract the students for pursuing their educations. Fetulahists have become a great threat upon Turkey and I would like to be very clear on my remarks. Albania is a small country with a small population, and they could pose even a greater threat upon the Albanians. And they have a priority of attracting the children of high-quality families, superior families, they educate them, and they bring them up in such a way that they will be indoctrinated, and then they will infiltrate the state institutions, and become very threatening for the state of Albania. So, you should never give them the opportunity.

Sokol Balla: This is an advice, or if I can call it a threat? Is it just an advice, so parents should send them to other Turkish schools, the Maarif Foundation? Or is your government really planning to put pressure on Tirana, to shut down those existing schools.

President Erdogan: First, a friendly country such as Albania, I would never use such an expression which could be considered as a threat, in terms of your domestic affairs. But, this terrorist organization can become a source of threat for Albania. And then it would be too late. Because a country of 80 million residents as Turkey, it has become target to a terrorist organization such as Fetulah. They have infiltrated the Armed Forces, the Police force, and now we are cleansing the Fetulahists from the services. 249 citizens were martyred in the hands of Fetulahists. And 2194 citizens have become veterans. When I talk about these facts it should not be a threat for Albania. Instead, Albania should learn some lessons from what we have experienced. If they could achieve this in Turkey, they could do the same in Albania tomorrow. I’m talking to Albania as a brother. Of course, this has never to be considered as a threat. I just wanted to remind you of this possibility quite prematurely, so that such games cannot be played upon Albania. The relevant measures can be taken by the Albanian administration, so that the Turkish Maarif Foundation can establish closer contacts with the Albanian national education ministry, so that the youth, the children there, can pursue their further education in the schools which will be newly established.

Sokol Balla: With your permission, I would like two last questions. First, many people considered you in Turkey as a hero. But in the aftermath of the coup, there were some critics regarding violation of human rights in Turkey. What is the response of President Erdogan to that claim?

President Erdogan: My people gave the best answer to those allegations on April 16th, and I don’t need to give any further answers. Votes were cast. In the aftermath of the referendum of April the 16th, by 52%, the Turkish people stated once again that they supported the presidential executive system. This is an important step forward. Now, in November 2019, there will be elections according to this new system. Garnering 52% of the votes will not be easily achieved by any political movement, political party or political figure. We are achieving something, so that in return, the people are supporting Taip Erdogan and the political movement called AK Party. The national will; the will of the people, the choice of the people, is what makes up democracy. No speculation can be placed over the will of the people. Regardless of the 52% of the votes, “we don’t accept this result” is something that nobody can afford to say. When I was elected as President, I garnered 52% of the votes, and again, I garnered almost 52% of the votes in the wake of the referendum. And when these are the facts on the table, unfortunately, some people are still circulating misinformation all around the world. Especially the Western countries are running after this misinformation. This is a campaign launched by the Fetulahists. I find it very difficult to understand why our Western friends are following this manipulation launched by the Fetulahists. I would like to ask you: Are you going to support a legitimately elected President, or are you going to follow those who have tried to topple the government with a coup. If we are talking about democracy, don’t get offended. You are going to support at all costs a democratically elected president. And you are going to support a democratically elected president. If you are not, then you are not sincere.

Sokol Balla: I came here with a taxi. The taxi driver said to me: “Please, salute our President.” He was from a Ciragan taxi agency and he met you last year. Also in Tirana, I go to a Turkish barber. Of course, some of them are divided, but the majority loves you. How this world is shaping up so fast, and what is the role of strong individuals like President Erdogan, President Putin, President Trump, and the Chancellor Angela Merkel on this new phase of the world.

President Erdogan: Right now, the results coming out of the ballot boxes can only be legitimized if you serve the people. If you can serve the people, if you can win the hearts of the people, then the people will never neglect you. As the Prime Minister and now as President, for the last 14 years I have been serving my people uninterruptedly. And the people of Turkey never neglected us. Our votes increased and increased, and we came to where we are today. But the country that we took over was disastrous, was collapsing in almost every aspect. We have grown this country three-fold. The per capita income reached 11.000 USD. It was not more than 2000. And this is how we have expanded the capabilities of this country. In terms of purchasing power, we are ranking no. 14. And as a global economy, we are ranking 17th. And the people are not blind, as they can see what has been achieved. You talked about a driver and I immediately started thinking about the bridges. We have recently built a third bridge on the Bosphorus Strait. We have built the Osman Gazi Bridge that connects Istanbul to the Aegean region. And underneath the Bosphorus Strait we have built the Marmaray tunnel. And again, underneath the Bosphorus Strait, we have built the Eurasian Tunnel, in order for the vehicles to pass through. These are very important projects for the transportation in Istanbul. In the last 79 years, only 6100 kilometers of divided highways were built. But in the last 15 years, we have built 19000 kilometers of divided highways. People can see these. The number of airports in Turkey is 55 currently. In the past, the plane fares used to be very expensive. And now the people of Turkey can afford the luxury of air travel for the price of a bus fare. These are things that are admired by the Turkish people. And if you served the people, the people will love you and will support you. Things will get even better. That’s why we are working tremendously. And I would like to thank you, and I would like to salute the entire people of Albania. On behalf of my person and on behalf of the entire Turkish people, I would like to extent my most heartfelt emotions. And please keep united, keep together and own Albania.

Sokol Balla: Mr. President, thank you very much for your time. It was a big pleasure and an honor to have you on my show and on Top Channel.

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