Breaking news… President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made important statements at the “TİM 33rd General Assembly and Export Champions Award Ceremony” at the Haliç Congress Center. President Erdoğan said, “We have reached the level of exporting 992 million dollars per month in annual defense exports of 248 million dollars. We are now exporting in a week what we used to do in a year.” he said.

Good news from President Erdoğan to exporters: Daily limit of rediscount loans increased to 5 billion lira | Video

Highlights from President Erdoğan’s statements:

Türkiye has been growing uninterruptedly for the last 23 quarters. The momentum we have achieved in exports continues from where it left off in 2026. On May 22, daily exports broke its historical record with 2.4 billion dollars. Türkiye’s increasing success rate from year to year is obvious. We acted with the motto of not leaving a single customs gate in global markets where our flag does not fly. Our successes in exports have become our source of national motivation. We now export in a week what we used to do in a year. Another agenda of ours is to spread our exports throughout the country. We continue our efforts to make more of our provinces share in exports.

GOOD NEWS ABOUT REdiscount LOANS

We have reached the level of exporting 992 million dollars monthly in defense exports of 248 million dollars annually. We now export in a week what we used to do in a year. We are increasing the daily limit of rediscount loans by 17 times to 5 billion lira.

We are accelerating our customs processes by using all the possibilities of digitalization to facilitate transportation.

Türkiye is not the introverted Turkey of yesterday, it is now a Türkiye that is respected by the great powers in every field.

Hot hours began in politics when it was learned that the ‘bribery’ operations carried out in Seferihisar and Balçova Municipalities extended to CHP Malatya Deputy Veli Ağbaba and that the investigation documents carried out in Izmir were sent to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and action was taken to open an investigation against Ağbaba on charges of accepting bribes.

BROTHER DRAWN ATTENTION TO DETAILS

Allegations of money transfers with Veli Ağbaba were brought to the agenda in the investigation, which deepened with the detention of 24 people, including Seferihisar Mayor İsmail Adult and Balçova Mayor Onur Yiğit, in the morning hours of the previous day.

Nermin Özgül

HIS ADVISOR WAS ARRESTED

In the second wave operation carried out in Seferihisar Municipality last week, Ağbaba’s advisor Özlem Akyılmaz was arrested on the charge of mediating the transfer of bribes.

DISMISSED

As the investigation into Ağbaba deepened, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay made a much talked about move. Tugay dismissed Private Secretary Nermin Özgül, Veli Ağbaba’s nephew.

BRIGADE WAS APPOINTED

Nermin Özgül, Veli Ağbaba’s niece, was working as Private Secretary in Karabağlar Municipality and was one of the first transfers made by Cemil Tugay after he became the Metropolitan Mayor. Tugay, who took office after the local elections, first appointed Nermin Özgül as his private secretary. Later, in October 2024, Cemil Tugay appointed Esra Huri Bulduk, CHP Islands Mayor candidate, as his private secretary, and gave this duty to Nermin Özgül again as of February 2025.

Veli Ağbaba – Barkın Ulutaş

IT WAS A SUBJECT OF CURIOUSNESS

Now all eyes are on the names appointed to critical positions in the district municipalities from Ağbaba’s quota. It was a matter of curiosity whether district mayors like Tugay would part ways with people close to Ağbaba.

HIS NECEPHE IS IN GAZİEMİR MUNICIPALITY

He first appointed Barkın Ulutaş, Veli Ağbaba’s nephew, whom he always accompanied during the election campaigns in 2024, as the Private Secretary of İzmir Konak Municipality. Due to opposition within the party, Ağbaba transferred his nephew to Gaziemir Municipality this time. Allegations that nephew Ulutaş, who was appointed as private secretary in Gaziemir Municipality, was an ATM, were brought to the agenda in the municipal council in the past months. First, AK Party member Uğur İnan Atmaca and then MHP member Salahattin Şahin asked Gaziemir Mayor Ünal Işık whether Ulutaş had an ATM.

Ministry of National Defense (MSB) Press and Public Relations Advisor and Ministry Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk, evaluated the agenda at the weekly information meeting. While Aktürk congratulated the 2235th anniversary of the establishment of the Land Forces Command, he announced the new capabilities that stand out in the defense industry.

TRNC DETERMINATION

Emphasizing that Türkiye’s stance on the solution of the Cyprus issue is clear and unchanged, he said, “Any initiative that ignores the rights of the Turkish Cypriot people and aims to disrupt the current delicate balance on the island is unacceptable for Turkey. The security of the TRNC is the security of Türkiye. We are fully determined to protect the security, peace and welfare of the Turkish Cypriot people today and tomorrow, as it was yesterday. Our country, as the guarantor state, within the framework of its legitimate rights and powers arising from international agreements and international law.” “It will continue to be the guarantor of peace, security and stability in Cyprus.”

On the other hand, another important detail was included in the statement and it was said: “Within the scope of the NATO Permanent Defense Plan, in order to strengthen the air defense of the alliance, a PATRIOT Air Defense System belonging to Germany was deployed to Kürecik / Malatya and took over from the US Patriot Air Defense System stationed in the same region on June 24, 2026.”

PARTICULATED ANTI-DRONE AMMUNITION PASSED THE TEST
It was also noted that the aircraft procurement process, carried out in line with the needs of the AIR forces, continues within the framework of the planned schedule, and the information was shared: “It is aimed to add two C-130J aircraft to the inventory by the end of the year. The deliveries of the remaining aircraft will be carried out gradually within the scope of the determined procurement program.” Aktürk reported that the test firings of the 7.62 millimeter particle anti-drone ammunition, which was developed by MKE and can be used with existing weapon systems and does not require additional platform integration, were successfully completed. The new ammunition, which will increase the air defense capability of personnel against mini and micro unmanned aerial vehicles and kamikaze drones, is expected to make a significant contribution to the effectiveness in the field.

RANGE OVER 500 KM
AKTÜRK also announced that TAYFUN Block-2 Missile, weapon carrier vehicle, Karayel hulled boat system and natural disaster rescue vehicles and materials have been added to the inventory of the Land Forces Command, and the inspection and acceptance activities of these systems have been completed. Developed by ROKETSAN, TAYFUN draws attention with its range of over 500 kilometers, high cruise speed reaching hypersonic levels and high sensitivity.

The judicial process has been completed in the non-pecuniary damages case filed by Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek against CHP Manisa Deputy Özgür Özel, on the grounds that he used expressions targeting him in a speech he made when he was CHP Chairman. In his speech at a rally held in Gaziosmanpaşa, Istanbul, Özel targeted Gürlek and said, “Akin, you hit a hard rock. Keep your wits about you. This will end badly…” In the non-pecuniary damage case filed on the grounds that Gürlek’s personal rights were violated, Istanbul 20th Civil Court of First Instance ruled that Özel pay 150 thousand TL non-pecuniary damages to Gürlek on November 20, 2025. Upon Özel’s objection to the decision, the file was moved to the court of appeal. As a result of the review carried out by the 4th Civil Chamber of the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice, Özel’s appeal application was rejected. Thus, the decision for non-pecuniary damage of 150 thousand TL became final.

WILL DONATE TO RED CRESCENT
It was reported that Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek will donate the moral compensation to be collected from Özel to the Turkish Red Crescent. It was learned that the necessary procedures have been initiated for the execution of the court decision.

At the Police Academy Graduation Ceremony held with the participation of President Erdoğan, 13 thousand 610 students who completed the 2025-2026 academic year graduated. While 574 police chiefs and 13 thousand 36 police officers joined the Police Department, 43 international students from 11 different countries received their diplomas. Speaking at the ceremony held at the Police Academy Presidency Gölbaşı Campus, Erdoğan called on the new graduates, “Let conscience be your compass, safety be your aim, and justice be your goal.”

“If you observe compassion, morality, rights and law, you will hold an exceptional place in the heart of this beloved nation,” said Erdogan, commemorating the police officers and citizens who were martyred in the July 15 coup attempt, and stated that new graduates took over the duty of the homeland entrusted to them by the martyrs. Asking the police not to deviate from the lines of law, justice and conscience, Erdoğan stated that they expect determination in the fight against all types of crime. President Erdoğan also stated that many regulations have been made in recent years to improve the working conditions of the Police Department and that the appointment system based on duty points will strengthen justice and transparency. Giving diplomas to the graduating students at the end of the program, Erdoğan asked the foreign students to send greetings to their countries.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke at the AK Party Extended Provincial Presidents Meeting: We are not just a political party. We are also a cause movement. We are a movement of hearts that believes in the same ideals and walks towards the same future. I would like to thank our brothers who served our cause with love and shouldered our struggle in neighborhoods where the opposition did not even know its name, let alone its road.

THE OPPOSITION MAKES A SHOW, WE ACTION: With the influence of social media, we see that a disease called interaction hunting is spreading both in society, in the public sector and in local governments. Unfortunately, we witness that some of our own friends are caught up in this countercurrent, knowingly or unknowingly. An approach that seeks show rather than performance may perhaps be the political style of the opposition, but we cannot approve of this.

WE DID NOT APPROACH THE JACOBIN MENTALITY: We did not receive permission from the nation just for service. At the same time, we received authority to ensure that our people will not be subjected to the tyranny of the February 28 coup plotters again. Now, although not as much as before, we are witnessing threatening attempts by monuments of arrogance who are louder from time to time. I want it to be known that we will not allow the oppressive mentality, which is still longing for the February 28 period and sees this country as its registered property, to be revived in the Turkey of 2026. A small narrow group cannot dictate the lifestyle of this nation by exploiting the concept of secularism. Gone are the days when a handful of arrogant people would point their fingers at society, discriminate against women based on their attire, and insult Anatolian people by calling them reactionary, reactionary, and bigot. We will definitely not tolerate anyone being humiliated in this country because of their hair, beard, chador, robe or headscarf. Our principle is clear: Freedom of belief. We will continue to expand the rights and freedoms for each of our citizens.

WE BECAME THE SERVANTS OF 86 MILLION
We became the servants of 86 million, not those who voted for us. It is these qualities that make the AK Party indestructible in the hearts of the nation, despite all the attacks it has been subjected to. It is our primary duty to protect and protect them. It is not our attitude to be compassionate, modest and respectful when asking for votes from the voters, but to be arrogant, patronizing and hurtful after receiving the authority from the nation.

Almost everyone who is looking for peace, looking for brotherhood and solidarity, and wanting to serve their city, district or town, wishes to engage in politics under this roof as a member of this family. We will continue to recruit people who embrace our principles and want to do a good job for their country and nation in a peaceful and respectful atmosphere. We will embrace our new mayors.

3 MAYORS JOINED AK PARTY
Nevşehir Mayor Rasim Arı, who left the İYİ Party, Keçiören Mayor Mesut Özarslan and Keşan Mayor Mehmet Özcan, who resigned from the CHP, joined the AK Party. Erdoğan pinned AK Party badges on the presidents.