Erdogan continues to slam opposition

Campaigning for next month's local elections, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday addressed thousands of people in a rally in the Black Sea province of Kastamonu. Speaking to the gathering, Erdogan reiterated his criticism that opposition parties have resorted to smears as they have nothing to offer the people. "The only thing they know is to try to prevent us from serving the people," Erdogan said, adding that his party was doing its best to bring public services to every corner Turkey without any political discrimination. "The people know well what we have done in the last six years in office. The opposition parties also know about our performance in power, but admitting this isn't in their playbook. The only thing they can do is try to defame and block us." He went on to accuse some media outlets of cooperating with opposition smear campaigns against the government and ruling Justice Development Party (AK Party) mayors, especially in Istanbul and Ankara. Stating that such smears only serve to delay important AK Party projects such as expanding human rights, fighting illegal groups linked to the state, European Union accession reforms and improving Turkey's investment climate, Erdogan said, "Your only job is smearing, obstructing and causing crises. But soon you will face the ballot box." Saying that residential natural gas service had started in Kastamonu thanks to the government, Erdogan added that no power can prevent him from serving the people, regardless of the opposition. Stating that Turkey now has the world's 17th-largest economy and Europe's sixth largest, Erdogan said that the remarkable growth of recent years was helped by government anti-corruption efforts, pledging that they would continue. Those threatened by these efforts have resorted to smears, he added. Erdogan concluded by voicing his party's slogan, "No stopping, keep moving ahead."