Erdogan: West cannot bear Turkey’s position in Balkans

By Kubra Chohan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said the West “cannot bear” Turkey’s position in the Balkans.

“The West cannot really bear Turkey’s stance, particularly in the Balkans, as well as steps, initiatives, efforts Turkey takes in the region,” Erdogan said in a joint news conference with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic at the presidential complex in Ankara.

Erdogan said: “Whether it [the West] bears it or not, we are intensively doing whatever we can with TIKA [Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency] in the west, in the Balkans.”“We are especially displaying all our efforts through the restoration and construction of historical artifacts. We will continue to do so thereafter,” he added.

Turkey's government-run TIKA agency is responsible for implementing the country’s developmental cooperation policies overseas.

The agency offers aid to more than 40 countries around the world.

Vucic said “Turkey is the biggest power, the strongest country in the Balkans. What Turkey thinks is important.”

Monday is the last day of Aleksandar Vucic's two-day visit.

Earlier, Vucic paid tribute to Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk at his mausoleum, Anitkabir.

*More to follow