President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is 72 years old! Birthday messages from Kasımpaşa to President Erdoğan | Video

THE PLACE OF ERDOĞAN’S CHILDHOOD: KASIMPAŞA

His former neighbors in Kasımpaşa told A Haber about Erdoğan. Neighbors recall the old days: “We used to go to training and matches together. He was a very good striker; his attitude was top notch, he was a man like a lion.” He conveyed his words with emotion.

Neighbors in Kasımpaşa, to whom A Haber extended a microphone, got emotional while talking about the old days:

* “He already said it, he said it while he was studying, I will climb to the top, if God allows,” he said.

* May he give you a long life and good health, that President is a great person in our neighborhood.

* Selahattin Öner (Erdoğan’s football friend): We would all go to training and matches together. He was a very good striker; His stance was top notch, he is a man like a lion.

*İsmail Ceylan (President Erdoğan’s neighbor): We have a neighborhood that has remained fresh from past to present…

*Ümmühan Engin (President Erdoğan’s neighbor): I miss you very much, I’m looking for you very much, may God’s peace be upon you, dear President…

*Dear people, may God grant them long and healthy lives, and may God not let stones touch their feet or tears touch their eyes…

While the deep-rooted ties between Türkiye and the Balkans are getting stronger day by day, investments in the region continue to increase. Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Knowledge Dissemination Foundation, examined the ongoing mosque project in Skopje and received information about the works.

PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN WILL OPENING

Bilal Erdoğan, who closely follows the four large mosque projects implemented by the Turkish Religious Foundation in Skopje, Tirana, Kosovo and Montenegro, examined the ongoing works in Skopje on site. Stating that the construction is approaching 80 percent, Erdoğan stated that the work can be opened for worship in the coming months with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

3 THOUSAND 200 PEOPLE WILL PRAY AT THE SAME TIME

The mosque in Skopje, which was inspired by the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque in Istanbul Edirnekapı with its architectural lines and reflects the classical Ottoman style, is preparing to become one of the new symbols of the city with its elegant dome and balanced silhouette. The building, which has a closed prayer area for approximately 1,500 people, has a capacity to host 3,200 people at the same time, including the courtyard and open areas. When completed, the mosque will serve as a versatile center with social and administrative areas such as Islamic Union offices, Religious Services consultancy units, library and book café.

WE MUST PROTECT HUMAN SENSITIVITIES

Within the scope of his visit; Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan, who met with young people at the International Balkan University (IBU), which was established in 2006 under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, also touched upon the relations between the Balkans and Türkiye. IBU Rector Prof. Dr. In the conversation themed ‘Building a Sustainable Future: Academic and Cultural Bridges for Balkan Youth’, moderated by Lütfi Sunar, Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan said that young people have important duties to build a sustainable future. Erdoğan stated that human characteristics will come to the fore much more in the world of the future and underlined that it will be an important gain for young people to protect their human sensitivities.

Emphasizing the important position of the International Balkan University in the Balkans, Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan said, “I believe that the International Balkan University can play a greater role in the future of North Macedonia. As the number of its graduates increases and the competencies here strengthen, this will become more possible. This country’s attainment of a stable, strong structure with solid relations with Turkey will not only increase its own prosperity, but will also make a much stronger contribution to regional balances and the common future.” he said.

WE ARE BUILDING A HEARTBOARD

IBU Rector Prof. Dr. Lütfi Sunar said: International Balkan University is a foundation university established in 2006 under the auspices of our president. Many young people from Türkiye and different parts of the world receive education here. Because we are an institution that strives to repair cultural bridges and establish unbreakable and sustainable political and economic ties between Türkiye and the people of North Macedonia and the Balkans. We are building a bond of love.”

HE WAS IMAMA IN THE HISTORICAL MOSQUE

Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan, who came together with non-governmental organizations in North Macedonia at the iftar invitation of the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities within the scope of his visit, gave messages of unity and solidarity in his speech there. Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan ended his visit with the tarawih prayer at the new mosque built by the Turkish Religious Foundation.

The weekly press briefing of the Ministry of National Defense was held at the Ministry on February 26. At the meeting, Ministry of Defense Press and Public Relations Advisor Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk shared the latest developments regarding the crash of an F-16 fighter jet taking off from the 9th Main Jet Base Command/Balıkesir on February 25, anti-terrorism and border security activities, NATO exercises and the personnel recruitment process.

Rear Admiral Aktürk stated that an F-16 warplane taking off from the 9th Main Jet Base Command/Balıkesir crashed on February 25 and said, “The reason for the incident will become clear after the investigation of the accident team. May God have mercy on our heroic comrade Pilot Major İbrahim Bolat, who was martyred in the tragic accident, and we offer our condolences to his family, our Turkish Armed Forces and our noble nation.” used.

Emphasizing that the Turkish Armed Forces continue their anti-terrorism activities with determination, Aktürk said, “In the past week, 5 more PKK terrorists surrendered, and in order to establish permanent security, the detection and destruction of mines, improvised explosives, caves, bunkers and shelters continued at our borders and beyond.”

Giving information about border security activities, Aktürk said, “In the last week, 108 people, including 3 members of a terrorist organization, who tried to cross our borders illegally, were caught, and 551 people were prevented before they could cross the border.” he said.

Stating that the number of those caught since the beginning of the year has reached 1,074 and the number of those prevented before crossing the border has reached 10 thousand 265, Aktürk stated that border security continues uninterrupted.

Aktürk stated that those who were massacred in Khojaly on February 26, 1992 were commemorated with mercy on the 34th anniversary and noted that the pain of the Azerbaijani people was shared.

“STEADFAST DART 2026 HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED”

Rear Admiral Aktürk stated that “Steadfast Dart 2026”, NATO’s most comprehensive and highest-participated actual exercise in 2026, has been successfully completed and said:

“In the exercise in which it participated with approximately 2 thousand personnel, our Turkish Armed Forces made an effective contribution to the collective defense structure of the alliance by implementing strategic transfer, rapid force deployment and sustainable logistics maintenance capability with a high level of preparedness.”

Stating that land and sea elements worked with a joint operation approach during the exercise, Aktürk stated that air defense, artillery fire, amphibious and naval operations and command-control activities were carried out successfully.

Aktürk said, “The effective use of our local and national defense industry products in the field, especially the successful shooting activity of our Bayraktar TB-3 Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle taking off from TCG Anadolu, has once again demonstrated the level of our technological competence and operational capability in the NATO environment.” he said.

He stated that the land elements participating in the exercise started to arrive in Türkiye by air and sea as of February 26.

AK Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik said, “CHP Chairman Özgür Özel criticized our President for ‘singing hymns’ in our group meeting. The CHP Chairman’s ‘political navigation’ problem has reached a grave point.”

Here is AK Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik’s post:

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel criticized our President for “singing hymns” in our group meeting. The CHP Chairman’s “political navigation” problem has reached a grave point. He continues to break his own records about the inaccuracy of his findings and the lack of basis of his diagnoses. AK Party is the party of the nation.

It is the result of our spiritual roots that the beautiful words that are always on the lips of our citizens at home and on the roads, and the expressions that accompany the lively joy of our children in the school gardens, were uttered by our President at our AK Party group meeting. Mr. Özgür Özel cannot understand these because he continues a political tradition that stands out with oppression where freedom should be called, and puts up a tutelage sign where it should be called nation. He has difficulty understanding because only the language of the nation is spoken in the AK Party group. Happy birthday to our President, the man of the nation. May the march dedicated only to the nation and speaking only the language of the nation have many more fruitful years.

Duran participated in the “Türkiye’s Peace Role in Conflict Zones from Media Perspective Panel” organized by the Directorate of Communications to discuss how the peaceful, mediator and facilitator role that Türkiye undertakes in times of international and regional crises is constructed and perceived through media discourses from a multi-dimensional communication perspective.

Duran, who made the opening speech here, started his speech by thanking everyone on behalf of humanity, especially the press members, non-governmental organization employees and healthcare personnel working in difficult conflict zones.

Stating that the efforts made by Türkiye to establish a “more just system” in every part of the world will be explained in the panel, Duran emphasized that Türkiye is both a diplomatic actor and a humanitarian solution partner in conflict zones as the voice of global conscience today.

Underlining that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s call for a “justice-centered world” forms the basis of Türkiye’s peace approach, Duran said:

“We know that the legitimacy of peace is not through the balance of military and political power, but through societies’ sense of justice. Nowadays, peace is not something that is gained at peace tables through negotiations alone. If peace efforts cannot find a response in the international public opinion, if their voice is muted or obscured, then we have lost the most important front. For this reason, we are and have to struggle for a fair and reliable representation in all kinds of media channels so that the voice of peace can be heard. Where facts are caught in ‘fake filters’, where oppression is suppressed.” “We all have a lot of work to do and a long way to walk together in media where attempts are made to hide it as ‘sensitive content’.”

“A WORLD FOOD CRISIS HAS BEEN PREVENTED”

Burhanettin Duran pointed out that the world is going through a period in which hybrid conflicts, proxy actors and great power competition are decisive, and said that peace can now be built not only with political agreements, but also with a holistic approach that includes security, humanitarian aid, economy and communication dimensions.

Pointing out that Türkiye’s facilitator and mediator capacity makes a difference in the world today, Duran said, “Our country is one of the rare countries with diplomatic access capacity that can talk to opposing blocks at the same time, keep contact channels open and make the basis for negotiation possible.” he said.

Noting that this role is important for carrying out technical negotiation processes, developing confidence-building measures and maintaining uninterrupted communication in times of crisis, Duran reminded that the parties in the Ukraine-Russia war, which is in its 5th year, came together many times under the mediation of Türkiye and Türkiye hosted the peace table.

Duran stated that the “Black Sea grain corridor” agreement was realized under the leadership of Türkiye, with the efforts of President Erdoğan, and that a possible food crisis that could occur all over the world was prevented in this way.

Referring to Israel’s attacks on Gaza, Duran said, “It is never a coincidence that Türkiye is the country that makes the greatest effort to bring up the war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza and the systematic genocide it committed in all international platforms, to open humanitarian aid corridors, to stop the occupation and massacres, and to hold Israel accountable to justice.” he said.

“WE CONSIDER THE FIGHT AGAINST DISINFORMATION AS AN ESSENTIAL”

Duran stated that Türkiye continues its peace diplomacy with many diplomatic moves such as the normalization of Azerbaijan-Armenia relations and the bringing together of Ethiopia and Somalia on the basis of dialogue in the Horn of Africa.

Stating that Türkiye has put forward a stance on the basis of justice in these regions, while discussing agreements at the table, it also carries out humanitarian diplomacy in the field with institutions such as AFAD and the Turkish Red Crescent, Duran said, “The purpose of all these efforts, in the words of our President, is ‘Our only concern is to build a Turkey that contributes to global peace and security, tranquility and stability, together with our region, at the highest level.'”

Underlining that, as the Directorate of Communications, it is one of our duties to present to conscience who is the victim, who is right and what is fair in conflict zones, Duran reminded that the Directorate carries out many activities to strengthen Türkiye’s peace narrative and accurately represent it in the communication ecosystem.

Pointing out that maintaining peace communication is a matter of security, Duran shared the following:

“Today, the perception operations we call ‘disinformation’ have reached a power that scratches social wounds, poisons stability and topples peace tables. While babies are dying in Gaza, those who ‘talk about the lands sold by the Palestinians’ on social media are unfortunately the ones who have tasted this poison. We see the fight against disinformation as indispensable for strengthening our peace narrative. Because we know that when talking about peace in conflict zones, it is not enough just to keep the guns silent, but also to lift the blockade on the truth.” “It is necessary. We have to know that peace tables are not only established on the field, but also, in a way, are shaped in data centers, algorithms and screens. I request our citizens to be very careful about such content, especially in times when emotional sensitivities escalate.”

“AS Türkiye, WE WILL STAND BY OUR SYRIAN BROTHERS”

Duran pointed out that Türkiye is one of the actors that most closely observed what the Syrian people suffered during the 13-year war and made the most effort to announce the facts to the international public.

Stating that Türkiye did not turn its back on the Syrians in the face of the massacres of the old regime in Syria and did not hesitate to take responsibility to ensure stability in the region, Duran said, “Thank God, the Syrian people realized their revolution on December 8, 2024, after suffering for 13 years, and now a brand new era has begun for both Syria and our region.” made his assessment.

Director of Communications Duran continued as follows:

“Of course, we have a very important task ahead of us. The reconstruction and reconstruction of Syria in stability. We know that this is not an easy task. At this point, there are circles that still want to sabotage the stability that has emerged in Syria in the new period, want to poison the peace environment and want to feed on instability. These actors can sometimes appear as terrorist organizations, sometimes as proxy actors, and sometimes as some state. I would like to express to them and to the whole world that we, as Turkey, will stand by the just struggle of our Syrian brothers, just as we did yesterday, today and in the future. “We will respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Syrian state and help protect it. As Türkiye, we will always continue to contribute to ensuring peace and tranquility in Syria and our region.”

After the speeches, Duran and Syrian Information Minister Hamza Mustafa also visited the photo exhibition titled “Türkiye’s Role in Peace”.

President of the Constitutional Court (AYM), Kadir Özkaya, attended the iftar program where the activities of the Constitutional Court in 2025 were evaluated. Constitutional Court Deputy Chairman Basri Bağcı and media representatives took part in the program held at Gölbaşı Provincial House. Constitutional Court President Özkaya made evaluations regarding the court’s activities in 2025. Özkaya stated that as they leave 2025 behind, they are carrying out effective and efficient work to prevent rights violations in the field of individual application and norm control, to implement constitutional principles and strengthen the rule of law, and that they will continue to work with the same determination in 2026.

“Universal legal principles are taken as basis in the investigations”

Emphasizing that justice is the primary basis that keeps the state alive, keeps the individual alive in safety and provides welfare to the society, Özkaya stated that in the investigations of the Constitutional Court, international universal approaches, principles and standards used in the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, decisions of other countries’ constitutional courts and jurisprudence of higher judicial bodies are meticulously researched. Stating that the allegations of violations expressed in individual applications are evaluated with a completely justice-oriented approach, regardless of religious, political or ideological identity, Özkaya said that interpretations and methods that will serve to protect and develop fundamental rights and freedoms within constitutional limits are applied.

‘The principle of “first come, first out” in the files’

Regarding the order of examination of the files, Özkaya said, “Our court acts according to the principle of ‘first come, first out’ in examining the cases within the scope of norm control. Of course, great care is taken to make a decision within 5 months as much as possible, especially in cases that come from the courts through objection. Likewise, individual applications are examined and decided in the order of arrival in accordance with the article titled ‘Order of examination of applications’ in our internal regulations.”

Özkaya stated that individual applications are also examined in the order they are received, but a different order can be made within the framework of objective criteria determined by the decision of the General Assembly, taking into account the importance and urgency of the applications, and that categories such as “Urgent”, “Pilot and Pioneer” and “Core Rights” have been created. Emphasizing that it is out of the question to delay any file due to the identity or nature of the applicants, Özkaya said that prioritization was carried out entirely according to the determined criteria. Stating that they attach importance to cooperation with judicial bodies and other institutions, Özkaya stated that they carry out joint studies as well as workshops and symposiums with high courts. He noted that they exchanged views with many high courts in 2025.

“We signed a cooperation agreement with the supreme courts of 6 countries”

Stating that they also play an active role in the international arena, Özkaya said, “We have signed bilateral cooperation agreements with the high courts of 32 different countries so far. In 2025 alone, we signed a cooperation agreement with the high courts of 6 countries, namely Egypt, Azerbaijan, Algeria, Iraq, Malaysia and Togo. In addition, we organized the 13th of our summer school programs last October within the scope of the activities of the Education and Human Resources Development Center of the Union of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions. In this context, so far. “We hosted 473 participants from 41 different countries. We made the necessary translations and shared the presentations and evaluations made at these events with the high judicial bodies of the relevant countries.”

“71 thousand 175 applications were finalized in 2025”

Sharing the statistics of 2025, Özkaya said, “In 2025, 64 thousand 321 individual applications were made to our court. On the other hand, 71 thousand 175 applications were concluded. In other words, the response rate for the applications made was 111 percent. These data, which reveal that the number of decisions given is more than the number of applications made, is an indication that the Constitutional Court works with great dedication and effort despite the increasing workload. I would also like to mention the total number of applications made to our court and the total number of applications concluded. “From September 23, 2012 to December 31, 2025, 714 thousand 774 applications were made within the scope of the individual application system. Approximately 623 thousand 88 of them, that is, 87.2 percent, were decided and 91 thousand 686 applications are pending,” he said.

“2025 was the year in which the highest number of files were finalized”

Stating that 277 applications were made within the scope of norm audit in 2025, 278 applications were decided and 472 rules were audited for conformity with the Constitution, Özkaya said, “Thus, 2025 was the year in which the highest number of files were concluded within the scope of norm audit, excluding merger decisions.”

Özkaya stated that within the scope of financial audit regarding political parties, 164 files were concluded in 2025 and 5 files regarding party closure cases are pending, and said, “Among the duties assigned to our court by the Constitution is to decide closure cases regarding political parties. I would like to state that the number of pending files regarding party closure cases is 5 as of the end of 2025.”

At the end of his speech, Özkaya wished that the month of Ramadan would bring peace and abundance, and wished that the persecution and human rights violations in different geographies of the world would end.