'2021 to be year of recovery, reforms for Turkey'

Turkey is aiming to make 2021 a year of recovery and reforms in various domains, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of a bridge in the country’s east, Erdogan said the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party had identified various areas where reforms were needed.

“At a time when the global political and economic order has been shaken to its roots, we should work harder to take our country to the point where it deserves to be,” the president asserted.

“We want to make 2021 a year when we leap forward. That is what we are now preparing for.”

He underlined the success of Turkey’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and its efforts to mitigate the economic effects of the global crisis.

“We mobilized all of state resources to protect the nation’s health as well as our citizens’ jobs and future,” said Erdogan.

Speaking about the COVID-19 vaccination efforts, he said Turkey’s locally produced vaccines will be ready for rollout by April.

“I believe the start of the vaccination drive will mark an important step forward in our struggle against the coronavirus [pandemic],” he added.

Komurhan Bridge

The Komurhan Bridge that Erdogan opened on Saturday connects the eastern Malatya and Elazig provinces.

The bridge, which covers a distance of 660 meters (0.41 miles), is the fourth biggest project in its class.

Designed and constructed by Turkish companies and engineers, the project has been completed at a cost of some 720 million Turkish liras (over $96 million).