"WE ARE A GOVERNMENT FOR ALL, NOT ONLY FOR A PARTICULAR CLASS"

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis stated that they were a government not only for a particular class but also for all in Turkey; Jews, Sunnis, Alewis, Armenians, believers and non believers.

36 year old Sait Ciftci Elementary School in Sisli, which was reinforced against earthquake by a special system, was inaugurated. In his speech he made here, Bagis stressed that as a government they attached great importance to education.

Stating that they gave 100 percent support to education since they came into power, Bagis noted that in order to increase the donations they allowed the benefactors to receive 100 percent tax deduction for the expenses they made for education. Bagis said that one-third of the schools, in other words 33 out of 100 schools in Turkey were established during the term of their government.

Stating that the biggest share in budget was traditionally allocated to Ministry of National Defence through the history of the Republic, Bagis said that however, since 2002, the biggest share was allocated to Ministry of National Education, the 2009 budget of the Ministry being 27 billion TL.

Bagis explained that they made it possible for hundreds of thousands of girls go to school through "Come On Girls, to School Campaign" and that they provided cash payment to girls and boys who are in economic deprivation through Conditional Cash Transfer. Expressing that this aid was given to the mother not to the father due to the possibility that it could be used otherwise, Bagis said that "Children who see themselves as farm workers till the end of their lives now expect a more promising life. One may hear them saying 'I will become a doctor or a lawyer'".

Bagis noted that over 700 computers were sent to schools throughout Turkey, a child in Eruh district in Siirt now also had an e-mail address, the world became smaller for them. Egemen Bagis stated that they were a government not only for a particular class but also for all in Turkey; Jews, Sunnis, Alewis, Armenians, believers and non believers. " Whatever service we provide, we provide it without any discrimination. We pay regard to the needs of our citizens." Bagis added.

Egemen Bagis noted these:

"We have gone through a 'Pınarhisar experience'. Our Prime Minister was sent to prison for he had read a poem from a text book. But thousands of people who took him there and the thousands who took him out of there, cried out by claiming that 'This song does not end here'. Also for today, they rendered him not only the Prime Minister of Turkey but also as one of the peace envoies of the world who will find out a solution to the problems that are becoming chronic. Moreover, they rendered him as the voice of world's conscience."

Stating that they had made the greatest investment to democracy and expressing his wishes towards the realization of the local elections in a way that will suit to Turkey's democratic system, Bagis said: "There are candidates who are under threat in different regions of Turkey" and he added that , "There are extremely illogical activities that are being carried out towards the members of other political parties by the politicians whom we suspect to have connections with some terrorist organizations in different regions of Turkey."

Afterwards Bagis inaugurated the Dikilitas District Election Contact Office with the AK Party Besiktas Mayor candidate Sibel Carmikli.

Later Bagis paid a visit to the Inhabitants of Siirt Association in Besiktas. In his speech Bagis stated that "Siirt is the breaking point of democracy" and "a city that clears away the democracy defect".

By mentioning that AK Party is the party preferred by Turkey, Bagis stated that they had carried out many good services without making any discrimination in each part of Turkey. He emphasized "Besiktas is not the castle of anybody" and added that some people had always showed off in Besiktas but had not provided any services.

Bagis stated that they would go into the local elections which would be held in 29 March determined and confident. He added that they were in the process of converting Besiktas into a more modern and contemporary city.

Afterwards Bagis visited, with his companies, Dikilitas Sports Club and Inhabitants of Trabzon Culture, Art and Training Association.