Recep Tayyip Erdogan is trying to counter-attack, trying to counter the harsh criticism he receives for the inadequate response of his party government to the new crisis caused by the hundreds of fires that have broken out in recent days in Turkey. Comparing the fires that are raging in the wider region, as well as in many parts of the world, with the COVID-19, the President of Turkey spoke of a situation analogous to a "terrorist threat".
"As in the rest of the world, there is a great increase in forest fires in our country. "There should be no room for micro-politics in this matter," he said, trying to boomerang the opposition's attacks on him, accusing him of oligarchy and lack of care so that there are ready-made means of firefighting, mainly by air. A number of close associates of the president and top government officials are doing the same - such as Agriculture Minister Bekir Pagdemili, who said yesterday, addressing (once again) the patriotic feeling of the Turks: "We are at war. We must keep our morale high. I urge everyone to be patient. "
After the Kurds, the opposition…
This is obviously the second line of defense against the political responsibilities that exist for the catastrophe that befalls Turkey. The first, as many will remember, was the attempt - mainly through pro-government media and analysts - to attribute the fires to the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), to its allies, but also to Turkey's enemies around the world.
More and more Turks, however, seem to be unconvinced and unwilling to be patient anymore. Especially as Erdogan's invocation of the global climate crisis ends up exposing him and the AKP, which are responsible for the fact that Turkey is the only G20 country that has not ratified the Paris Agreement.
At the same time, one cannot ignore the fact that this new crisis is being added to the two that are already underway: the health crisis, which has already cost the country almost 52.000 dead, and the economic crisis. Especially with regard to the latter, the situation is constantly deteriorating, as shown by the latest data on inflation in July, which was close to 19% on an annual basis compared to 17,5% in June and 11,8% in the corresponding month of 2020. .
The intense discomfort is eloquently reflected in the polls. Rates for the AKP have plummeted to historic lows in the last two decades or so. Its founder and president sees the τη backs of his two theoretically key rivals for the presidency, the mayors of Istanbul and Ankara, from an ever-increasing distance.
"Turkey continues to be polarized on cultural and identity issues, but the problems of everyday life are so pressing - pandemic, unemployment, inflation, floods, fires - that the feeling that this government can not solve them is growing," he told "Financial Times" Bekir Agirdir, head of the KONDA Research polling institute.
The thermoelectric unit was saved
The time of the political "fund" seems to be approaching. The only pleasant element in this "black" scenario for Turkey is that the fire brigade, with the help of foreign media, managed - literally to five - to prevent the fire from entering and destroying the thermal power plant. in the area of Mila.
It is noted that there were huge amounts of fuel in its facilities, which means that it could turn into a bomb of frightening power, causing incalculable consequences throughout the region.
in.gr