"TOGETHER, WE ARE TURKEY"

Reminding that enthusiasm of the Turkish citizens living abroad for casting their votes was started within the scope of the general elections, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis sent his best wishes in advance for the results to be beneficent for Turkey, Turkish democracy and Turkish citizens living abroad.

In his written explanation, Bagis said, "We would wish that our citizens living abroad could vote in the country where they were living without the need to check in and out of Turkey" and he pointed out that this would not be possible for the elections to be held on 12th June due to the decision taken by The Supreme Board of Election. Minister Bagis continued his words as follows:

"I hope this desire of us will become true in the next elections and we will combine the enthusiasm of our 74 million citizens living in Turkey with the enthusiasm of those living abroad. As we always say, a Turk is always a Turk, no matter where he/she was born or is living. Our government considers The Republic of Turkey and our citizens living abroad as a whole and we are acting with this perspective in our minds."

"We are not separating our citizens living abroad while conveying the message 'We are Turkey altogether' and we do not dissociate them from Turkey."

Stressing that the closest witnesses of the changing international image of Turkey within the last 8.5 years were the Turkish citizens living abroad, Minister Bagis said that there existed a Turkey which the kins and citizens scattered to the four winds could proudly say 'I am Turkish, I am the citizen of the Republic of Turkey' and they could show their Turkish passports with pride. Bagis added:

"We notice that our citizens are scheduling their vacations on earlier dates and preparing to cast their votes with great enthusiasm in order to reciprocate with the pride given them by their country. I hope that the ballot boxes throughout Turkey and at the customhouses will boom with the votes casted for stability in the evening of 12th June, and our citizens abroad and Turkey will make the best choice for the sake of their future. The future of Turkey is the future of our citizens abroad as well. Let's not give an end to Turkey's journey on the way of being a contemporary civilization, let's make customhouses boom with the votes casted for stability. Our citizens living abroad are ready for a long period of time. Our target is 2023. Let the stability continue, let Turkey grow."

Source: AA