In his farewell message, Minister Çiftçi reminded that he was appointed as the Minister of Internal Affairs as a result of the appointment decision published in the Official Gazette dated February 11, 2026, with the approval of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

On this occasion, Çiftçi expressed his heartfelt gratitude to President Erdoğan, who did not spare their trust by deeming him worthy of this lofty position and the position of the Minister of Internal Affairs, and said, “After my duty in our ancient city Erzurum, which is the foreword of Anatolia and the lock of Islam, with the motto ‘Service to the public is service to God’, today I am experiencing the honor and weight of taking on a greater responsibility for the peace and security of our beloved nation. Reverend.” Under the leadership of our President, our main goal is to maintain peace in every corner of our country, to protect the survival of our state and to be a servant to our nation. May God give us the strength to carry this sacred trust placed on our shoulders and not embarrass us against our beloved nation.” he said.

Addressing his brothers and sisters, Çiftçi said: “With the blessings of our esteemed President, I am leaving the post of Governor of Erzurum, which I have held with great honor for about two and a half years, on the occasion of my appointment. Erzurum is not just a city, it is the unshakable castle of the Turkish-Islamic civilization in Anatolia and the torch of our War of Independence. During my time in this ancient geography, I am leaving every corner of our city with the understanding of ‘Service to the public is service to God.’ We have endeavored to reach out to individuals and provide relief to their troubles. Your dignified stance, love for the homeland and appreciation have been my greatest source of motivation throughout my term of office. If we have been able to do work worthy of the historical heritage of our city and the nobility of our people, this is the greatest honor for us. On this occasion, I would like to express my gratitude to all our public institutions, non-governmental organizations and the appreciative people of Erzurum who have supported us throughout my term of office. Well done, may God preserve our unity and solidarity.”

With the appointment decision published in the Official Gazette with the signature of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Akın Gürlek became the Minister of Justice and Mustafa Çiftçi became the Minister of Internal Affairs.

When the two ministers came to the Parliament for the oath ceremony, they encountered provocation from CHP members. During Minister Gürlek’s oath ceremony, CHP members walking to the podium tried to prevent Gürlek from taking the oath. There was a fight between AK Party deputies and CHP members in the Parliament. MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli reacted to the provocation by making a statement on his social media account.

MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli reacted harshly to CHP’s provocation in the Parliament

MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli’s statements are as follows:

There has been a change of duties in the Presidential Cabinet, on the one hand, within the scope of the governing and essential provisions of the current Constitution, and on the other hand, within the nature and linear provisions of the Presidential Government System. This democratic appreciation and choice took place in an extremely legal and legitimate manner. On this occasion, I would like to thank our Ministers of Justice and Internal Affairs, who requested to be relieved of their duties, and I wish success and congratulations to our Ministers of Justice and Internal Affairs, who were appointed in the department of law and legitimacy instead.

Today, the anti-democratic and fascistic treatment of our newly appointed ministers, especially our Minister of Justice, within the framework of the constitutional procedure at the General Assembly of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, including the occupation of the rostrum by the Republican People’s Party during the oath ceremony, cannot be justified or exposed in any way. This intolerant and rude attitude has nothing to do with politics or democracy.

It is clear that the CHP’s defeatist and apostle of depression political attitude is based on an extreme degree of hostility and hostility towards the national will, as well as an attempt on the life of the Turkish state and administration.

The Nationalist Movement Party stands behind and supports our newly appointed ministers, as well as the appreciation and imagination of our President.

“YOU HAVE MARKED WOMEN’S POWER ON TURKISH POLITICS”

“If we have succeeded in every election we have entered, know that you have a huge share in this success.” First Lady Erdoğan continued as follows:

“Because you have not left a single door untouched in our 81 provinces, in all four corners of our country. But more importantly, you have opened the doors of your hearts wide. You brought brotherhood and sincerity to the houses you stepped into, not slogans or politics, you brought sincerity, you listened to our nation’s problems with all your heart, you understood the situation, you drew road maps that referenced our cultural and belief codes, you produced policies, you offered solutions. It is our duty to carry out a policy that encompasses everyone without dividing or polarizing people. “It is our founding philosophy. You have embraced all the colours, all the voices, all the stories of Türkiye. You have put your stamp on women’s power in Turkish politics. You have proven to the whole world that politics is the art of contacting people, as our President said, ‘it is the subject of politics, not the object’.”

First Lady Erdoğan stated that women’s hands have a tremendous power that beautifies every place they touch, and said, “We have all seen together what politics touched by women’s hands is capable of. AK Party Women’s Branch is the largest women’s civil movement in the world with the number of members approaching 6 million. It is the name of doing politics for women together with women, it is a school of politics in itself.” he said.

“SUCCESS IS NOT AN ACCIDENT”

Reminding that the number of women members was in the thousands when they first set out on this path, First Lady Erdoğan said, “What successes we have achieved with a handful of convinced and determined women. Now imagine what we can do with 6 million women. Today, there is no such women’s organization even in the western countries that talk about democracy but make politics through women, not for women. In fact, this success is not a coincidence. Anatolian women have been at the forefront of social life in these lands for centuries. A traveler in the middle ages, When Ibn Battuta came to Anatolia, he was very surprised by the status of women and wrote in his travelogue: ‘In Anatolia, women ride horses like raiders and hold the front rows in market trade.’ he noted. ‘My child can grow up without a mother, but he cannot grow up without a homeland.’ “The spirit of Nene Hatuns who ran to defend the homeland by saying ‘The spirit of Nene Hatun’ has mixed with the air we breathe.” he said.

“THE HEADSCARF BAN WAS A DANGER TO OUR DEMOCRACY. THANK GOD WE REMOVED THIS DAGGER”

Stating that the issue of women’s rights has been one of the most important agendas of the AK Party since the first day, First Lady Erdoğan said:

“With every step taken for women since 2002, we clearly see that the AK Party has demonstrated a will to remove obstacles to women, empower them and prioritize them in all areas of life. It has undertaken numerous reform actions, each of which directly improves the lives of women, from laws supporting women in business and family life to the fight against violence against women. Ensuring equality in the public sphere and women’s beginning to exercise their rights to education, work and election freely and in a manner worthy of human dignity is also a historical move of the AK Party.

The headscarf ban, which was a human rights violation in itself, was a dagger stuck in our democracy. Thank God, we took out this dagger and healed the wound. However, today we still sadly witness that women are despised because of their attire, that a woman’s value is tried to be measured by her appearance, and that every woman who does not have a western image is considered anachronistic. So, there is still a barrier of prejudice that we need to fight and overcome. Then we will work harder. Our women, whose democratic rights were restricted and ignored in many areas yesterday, are today taking on important responsibilities in all areas of life and taking on roles that guide society in decision-making mechanisms in increasing numbers. This picture is the pride of all of us.”

Providing information about women in state positions, First Lady Erdoğan said, “For example, while we had 14 female ambassadors in 2002, today this number has reached 80. The number of female academics has increased from 26 thousand to 86 thousand. The number of female judges has increased from 1725 to 8 thousand 243. Today, we have reached the highest number of female deputies in the history of the Republic. All these achievements are achieved by the people who do not see social progress separately from the status of women.” “They are the works of the AK Party mentality, which accepts women’s rights as a criterion of civilization.” he said.

“WE SHOULD KEEP DIALOGUE CHANNELS OPEN”

President Erdoğan stated that Türkiye and Greece, two NATO allies, are facing many developments that pose a threat to security and stability.

Emphasizing that they think that it is in their common interest for Türkiye to take part in the defense initiatives recently launched in Europe, Erdoğan continued his words as follows:

“We also discussed regional developments, including the ceasefire process in Gaza and the peace plan, with the esteemed Prime Minister. We reject the latest decisions taken by Israel to expand its control in the West Bank and weaken the Palestinian administration. The stance of the world’s leading countries, ours and our brother countries, on this issue is obvious. I would like to take this opportunity to particularly emphasize that permanent peace and stability in the Middle East depends on finding a fair solution to the Palestinian issue on the basis of two states. We will continue to defend this stance. 2025-2026 We believe that Greece, which was a Non-Permanent Member of the United Nations Security Council during the period, will keep the two-state solution perspective on the agenda of the Council for the benefit of our region. Likewise, we touched upon what can be done to establish stability in Syria and to quickly reach a position that contributes to peace in the region. It is obvious that the constructive role we undertake in this regard is important not only for Syria itself, but also for the security of Greece and Europe. We hope that all components of the country will move towards the future with an inclusive understanding, based on the principle of territorial integrity and unity of Syria. “I wholeheartedly believe that, as neighbors and allies, we must keep the channels of dialogue open with an understanding based on cooperation.”

COOPERATION MESSAGE FROM MITOTAKIST: “WE ARE ALWAYS IN FAVOR OF DIALOGUE”

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis used the following statements in his speech:

“There are various difficult issues and problems in our region. There are also some issues on which we cannot agree or agree. There are some issues, such as the continental shelf issue in the Aegean, the Exclusive Economic Zone issue. It may be necessary to apply to an international judicial body regarding these issues. There can be a solution to this within the framework of international law. I hope, Mr. President, and I share your optimism on this issue. The conditions are suitable for making progress on these issues. I believe that it is now time for all threats to our relations to be eliminated.

We want to see the war in Ukraine coming later. We agree on the start of the second peace talks in Gaza. Greece consistently supports the two-state solution and supports the Palestinian side’s absolute inclusion in the new administration to be formed. We do not support any possible steps regarding the annexation of Gaza by Israel. The expansion of Jewish settlements here is a factor that makes the formation of a Palestinian state in the region even more difficult.

We had the opportunity to make a detailed accounting of our bilateral relations. We made a strategic choice in 2023. We would develop contacts between the two countries on three main elements; political dialogue, positive agenda and confidence-building measures. We held extremely important meetings within the framework of this cooperation. We had the opportunity to discuss the issues between us through the open dialogue channels. We aimed to establish a workable relationship between the country’s foreign ministries that would benefit both parties. We have to handle the problems and issues between us calmly. We must discuss these issues sincerely among ourselves. We may even disagree on some issues. We are always in favor of dialogue. We will continue our cooperation in good faith and mutual respect. Our efforts have already begun to bear fruit. A positive agenda meeting was held in Athens. Really important results emerged here. In our meeting today, we agreed on many issues with the participation of various ministers of the two countries. “We signed various agreements.”

AGREEMENTS WERE SIGNED IN MANY FIELDS

Agreements were signed between Türkiye and Greece in the fields of investment, maritime trade, economic cooperation, earthquake, culture, science and technology.

After the bilateral meeting, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Kiryakos Mitsotakis chaired the Türkiye-Greece 6th High Level Cooperation Council Inter-Delegation Meeting Session. After the session, a signing ceremony of agreements was held between the two countries.

President Erdoğan and Mitsotakis signed the Joint Declaration between the Government of the Republic of Türkiye and the Government of the Hellenic Republic.

The Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Investment and Finance Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey and the Investment and Foreign Trade Agency of Greece was signed by Burak Dağlıoğlu, Head of the Presidential Investment and Finance Office, and Haris Theoharis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mehmet Kemal Bozay and Theoharis signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Encouraging the Start of Ro-Ro Expeditions between the Port of Izmir and the Port of Thessaloniki.

The Memorandum of Understanding on Strengthening Cooperation within the Framework of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization was signed by Bozay and Theoharis.

The Memorandum of Understanding on Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation on Earthquake Preparedness was signed by Minister of Internal Affairs Mustafa Çiftçi and Greek Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ioannis Kefalogiannis.

The Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Culture was signed by Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and Greek Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni.

The Joint Declaration of Intent on Cooperation in the Field of Science and Technology between the Ministry of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Turkey and the Ministry of Development of the Republic of Greece was signed by the Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır and the Minister of Development of Greece Takis Theodorikakos.

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar announced on his social media account that Turkish Petroleum Joint Stock Partnership (TPAO) won two fields, one offshore and one onshore, in the hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation tender in 22 fields in Libya, which was awarded after 17 years.

TPAO HAS GOT THE RIGHT TO CONDUCT EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES

Minister Bayraktar said in his post, “We are now taking the local and national steps we have taken in energy to a new phase in cross-border exploration fields. Our national oil company, TPAO, has been entitled to carry out hydrocarbon exploration activities both at sea and on land with its bid for the Libyan oil and natural gas tender.”

HYDROCARBON EXPLORATION WORKS WILL BE CONDUCTED

Minister Bayraktar continued his post with the following statements: “TPAO will carry out its activities in the Libyan high seas with the consortium structure it formed with Repsol and MOL Group. With the consortium, hydrocarbon exploration activities will be carried out in a block with a size of approximately 10 thousand 300 square kilometers, located off the coast of Benghazi, which has a strategic location in the Mediterranean.”

MINISTER FIDAN’S INTERVIEW

Foreign Minister Fidan, in his interview on February 9, regarding the presence of the terrorist organization PKK in Iraq, said, “There is also an Iraq leg of this issue. After the Syrian leg is over, there is an Iraq leg. I hope they will learn from what happened here in Iraq and make a smarter decision and the transition there will be easier.” he said. Fidan emphasized that the Iraqi government would have to make a determination regarding the PKK issue and that the structure in Sinjar could not and should not stop there. Regarding the organization’s presence in the region, Fidan said, “PKK is an organization established against Türkiye, but there is no area it can occupy in Türkiye. However, in Iraq, on the other hand, it occupies very large areas of land. In Syria, it is occupying. The problem is your problem rather than my problem. What kind of a sovereign state are you that you allow its existence in this way?” made his assessment.

Fidan stated that Sinjar is surrounded by Hashd al-Shaabi elements and said, “When Hashd al-Shaabi advances by land and we operate from the air, it takes 2 or 3 days. It does not take long. It is such a simple military operation.” he said. “The Iraqi government is in a position to allow its territory to be occupied by another armed element. It does not perceive this as a national security threat. Who does it consider as a national security threat? I do not know. It was directed against Türkiye 6-7 years ago. Now such an issue does not exist in practice.” Using his statements, Fidan pointed out that there are other balances within the country.