“It is time to discuss drafting a new constitution,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a statement at Ankara’s Presidential Complex late Monday, underlining that his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and its ally the People’s Alliance Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have agreed on the plan.
“Our reform packages will be revealed soon in full detail,” he said, adding that the reforms will be carried out in the judiciary and economy.
Erdoğan also touched on economic developments, saying that Turkey has weathered the consequences of the ongoing pandemic well.
“Recent international analyses show Turkey and China to be the sole countries within G-20 to have ended 2020 with positive growth,” he said.
“Preliminary data indicates Turkish economy ended 2020 with growth over 1%,” Erdoğan added.
“In 2020, we issued a total of 10,505 investment certificates, which will support fixed investments of nearly $33.3 billion,” he underlined.
“Once completed, these investments will provide over 305,000 additional jobs.”
Erdoğan also emphasized the importance of currency stability, saying that over $4 billion has been sold in recent months, leading to a 5-month high in the Turkish lira’s value.
In the same address, the president also shared that Turkey would gradually return to face-to-face education but added that if there is an increase in cases schools will be closed again.
“We will open our rural schools on Feb. 15 but will close them again if COVID-19 case numbers increase,” he said.
“Face-to-face education will start on March 1 for 8th to 12th grades, primary & private schools in accordance with respective provinces’ medical boards.”
