Erdogan urges voters to vote for better local services, not ideology

Addressing weekend rallies in the Aegean provinces of Izmir and Balikesir ahead of the March 29 local elections, now less than two weeks away, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said people should cast their ballots on the basis of candidates' ability to provide better services, not ideology. Stating that no city in Turkey should be seen as the stronghold of a particular party, Erdogan said in Izmir, known as a bastion of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), that nobody has the right to suppress the people's free will. Calling Izmir a city of political, economic and cultural firsts, Erdogan criticized years of local CHP leadership, saying, "Izmir today is in a position it never deserved." Reiterating the government's determination to bring equal public services to every part of Turkey, Erdogan said his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) opposes all forms of discrimination. Citing his turn as Istanbul mayor starting in 1994, taking over from a CHP predecessor, Erdogan said his administration made Istanbul one of the world's cleanest cities in terms of air. Erdogan also said his government started a high-speed train project between Ankara and Izmir, set to cut the eight-hour trip between the two cities in half. In Balikesir, Erdogan reiterated his determination to continue to fight illegal crime networks vested in the state, corruption and other criminal groups, calling on opposition parties to support this effort. Erdogan also said everyone should avoid undermining the independence of the judiciary. Touting Prime Ministry Housing Development Administration (TOKI) projects in the city, Erdogan said thanks to these efforts, all areas of Balikesir now have proper infrastructure. Touching on a doubling of the social security rolls in the city over the last six years, Erdogan also pledged that the government will continue to work to create local job opportunities.