Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the High Consultative Council meeting of the Aegean Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (ESIAD) in the western province of Izmir on Sunday.
Speaking at the meeting, Erdogan said that his Justice & Development (AK) Party had been against ethnical, regional and religious nationalism from the beginning, adding that constitutional citizenship and ethnical origin were two different issues.
Noting that his party did not make regional nationalism, Erdogan said that before his party came into rule, state did not focus on eastern, southeastern and central Anatolia as well as eastern Black Sea regions. He added that they reached each 81 provinces of Turkey, giving an example that they would build an airport in Yuksekova town of the southeastern province of Hakkari.
Replying to criticisms that no investments were made in Izmir, Erdogan said that they would inaugurate Egeray, a railway system, in Izmir today, adding that AK Party rule made great investments in Izmir.
He added that Izmir deserved to be a trademark city.
Erdogan also asked for the support of businessmen for urban transformation projects.