Turkey advances toward global power status, says AK Party's Mehmet Kasapoğlu

Dr. Mehmet Kasapoğlu, former Minister of Youth and Sports and AK Party Izmir Deputy, marked the 25th anniversary of the AK Party by stating that Turkey is advancing toward becoming a global power. Reflecting on the period since August 14, 2001, Kasapoğlu described the era as a journey to rebuild social confidence and strengthen democracy after facing political crises, anti-democratic interventions, and tutelage pressures.

Kasapoğlu highlighted several historical challenges the nation has overcome, including party closure cases, the April 27 memorandum, the Gezi events, and the July 15 coup attempt. He credited the nation's resilience and the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for overcoming these turbulences and reinforcing the legitimacy of the ballot box.

In terms of national development, Kasapoğlu cited various strategic investments as evidence of a ‘social confidence revolution.’ These include high-speed trains, bridges, airports, city hospitals, the domestic automobile TOGG, natural gas discoveries in the Blue Homeland, satellite programs, and UAV/UCAV technologies. He emphasized that the country's current strategic focus includes achieving a ‘Terror-free Turkey’ through necessary legal and social steps.