ANKARA

There are “only a few obstacles to overcome and a few problems to solve in order to reach the bright future we call the Century of Türkiye,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.

Delivering his commemorative address on the occasion of the 101st anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye via a video message, Erdogan said: “On behalf of my country and my nation, I extend my heartfelt thanks to all our friends and guests who share in the joy of our festival, both here and in different regions around the world.”

“Today, we are filled with happiness and rightful pride as we celebrate the first anniversary of the new century of our Republic,” he stated.

He expressed gratitude to the founding figures of the Republic, especially its founder Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, honoring Türkiye as the latest and enduring link in a chain of states with a legacy spanning thousands of years.

Praying for mercy upon the martyrs and veterans who have shed their blood for independence and the future of the homeland from Malazgirt to the present day, Erdogan said: "Every one of our brothers who fell to the ground like entering a rose garden for our independence, especially the martyrs we lost in the attack on TAI, the leading organization of our defense industry, will always live on in our hearts."

“We are determined to eternally uphold an independent, strong, honorable, and prosperous Türkiye, the legacy of our states spanning from the Seljuks to the Ottomans, and ultimately to the Republic on Anatolian soil,” he stressed.

“As a nation, we possess a deep-rooted state tradition of over 2,200 years, symbolized by the 16 stars in the Presidential Seal,” Erdogan praised.

"Both within our borders, in our region, and across the world, we will more firmly embrace our nation's ancient historical perspective and our civilizational values to establish peace, tranquility, security, and justice,” he emphasized.

“Neither terrorist organizations, nor those who seek to flood our region with blood and fire through expansionist ambitions, nor the imperialists who support and embolden them, can prevent us from achieving the goals of our struggle,” Erdogan underlined.

Stating that they work day and night to elevate Türkiye above the level of contemporary civilization by addressing every deficiency one by one, President Erdogan said: "With the support of our nation, during this period we have left behind, we have made significant sacrifices, dismantled countless devious plots and traps, thwarted numerous treacherous attacks, and achieved truly important gains."

‘Only a few obstacles’

The Turkish president further stated that they stand on the brink of a period where the sacrifices made in all fields, from security to technology, and from diplomacy to the economy, will yield results.

“We are on the verge of achieving the bright future we call the Century of Türkiye, with only a few obstacles and issues left to overcome,” he pointed out, adding: “We are aware of the challenges our people have faced over the past six years due to efforts to undermine our country in areas like economic stability, especially through security threats.”

“We also know that, after 40 years of draining our energy, corroding our unity, and diverting us from our goals, we must finally bury the scourge of terrorism in history with all the means at our disposal,” he said.

Erdogan noted: “We want to open wide the doors to a Türkiye where we can foster joy instead of sorrow, share prosperity instead of hardship, and nurture hope instead of pessimism.”

“As we stated in last year’s Republic Day message, we are doing everything, undeterred by external and internal adversaries, with the goal of raising the ideal of a ‘Great and Strong Türkiye’,” he recalled.

“With God’s help, the wisdom and support of our people, and the political and military strength of our country, we are determined to emerge from this new era with our Republic even stronger,” he emphasized.

“I wholeheartedly believe that all our citizens, regardless of background, creed, or political stance, and all our friends around the world will stand with us in this historic struggle,” Erdogan stated.

*Writing by Merve Berker