Turkey works to top global, economic system: Erdogan

By Sena Guler

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish government is gearing up to carry the country to the highest level of the global, political, and economic system amid the ongoing fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak, said the nation’s president on Wednesday.

“We do not only fight the pandemic in the current period we're going through, but also prepare to take Turkey to the highest level of the global, political, and economic system,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's provincial congresses via videoconference from the presidential complex.

Every passing day there is an inauguration or groundbreaking ceremony of new projects, Erdogan noted, and said the “excitement of new beginnings” will continue to be experienced with further projects for the development of the country.

He said that over the weekend, three dams and a drinking water plant will be opened in the southeastern Diyarbakir province, while a frigate will be launched to sea in the metropolitan city of Istanbul.

The first I-class vessel to be produced in Turkey's national warship program MILGEM will be launched on Jan. 23.

The 113-meter-long Istanbul frigate is expected to be delivered to Turkey's Naval Forces Command in 2023 and will perform advanced air defense and surface warfare, submarine defense warfare and patrol activities.

Erdogan added that keys of newly built houses will also be delivered to their owners, who were left homeless in a powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake that hit eastern Elazig province in January 2020, claiming 41 lives and injuring some 1,600 others.