President Erdoğan: Those who threaten Türkiye's peace will face the steely will of our state.

President Erdoğan attended the Gendarmerie and Coast Guard Academy Graduation Ceremony held at the Gendarmerie and Coast Guard Academy Stadium. In attendance were President Erdoğan, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, Ankara Governor Vasip Şahin, academy personnel, and the families of the graduates. The ceremony began after a moment of silence and the singing of the National Anthem. President Erdoğan congratulated the top graduates of the term.

YERLİKAYA: YOU ARE THE GUARANTEE OF PEACE AND SECURITY

Speaking at the ceremony, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya congratulated the 5,011 graduating personnel, including 881 officers and 4,130 non-commissioned officers. Yerlikaya noted that they had reduced the number of incidents of crimes against public order, persons, and property by 178,624 in the last two years, and continued:

We have increased lighting rates to a record level. Within the framework of the Traffic Safety Strategy Document and Action Plan, we are working resolutely to achieve our 2030 goals and to establish a traffic culture. As the Ministry of the Interior, with our 675,000 personnel, we aim to make the Century of Turkey the 'Century of Peace': there is no stopping, no tireing for us. We stand against those who ambush our brotherhood. We stand tall against urban bandits, drug dealers, and criminal centers. Whoever dares to disturb the peace of our nation will find us, these brave men, standing against them. With our police force, gendarmerie, and coast guard, we are at the service of our nation, and we will continue to do so.

Addressing the graduates, Yerlikaya said, "My brothers and sisters, celebrating their graduation, under the shadow of the delicate crescent moon, to the sound of our call to prayer, and before the mothers and fathers who raised you, the oath you take today is an oath to go above and beyond for the sake of your homeland. I have full confidence that you will fulfill your duty, always feeling the weight and responsibility of this trust. Now, you are the steel fortress of this homeland, the guarantor of peace and security on land and sea. Neither a storm nor the most formidable dangers can intimidate you. In fulfilling your duty, you will always abide by the law. You will protect the rights and freedoms of our nation, and you will fulfill your duties with justice and conscience. Never, ever forget that the prayers of our nation are your strength, and the support of our state is your greatest strength. The spirits of our martyrs and the courage of our veterans are your companions. May God be your helper and guide on this blessed path."

PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN: I WISH YOU A PROFESSIONAL LIFE FULL OF SUCCESS

Speaking at the ceremony, Erdoğan congratulated the 881 officers and 4,130 petty officers who successfully completed their training, saying, "This picture before me is the picture of determination. This picture is Türkiye's security wall. This picture is a promise for our future and a guarantee for our present. I am as proud of each of you as I am of your families, your commanders, and your instructors. I wish a career full of success to our officers and non-commissioned officers who will be serving in the various units of our Gendarmerie and Coast Guard, and in every corner of our paradise. I also extend my best wishes to our 15 guest officers, who I am confident will make significant contributions to both their country and our brotherhood."

'WE WERE UNITED AND TOGETHER IN MANY ATTACKS'

Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye is a state with a past and tradition, saying, "This noble nation has a deep-rooted, powerful, and honorable past spanning thousands of years. We didn't come to Anatolia yesterday. We didn't appear on the stage of history yesterday. With our works, values, and virtues, we have carved a vast geography step by step, embroidered and embroidered. For centuries, we have been the standard-bearers of peace, tranquility, and justice. We have gone to great lengths when necessary, thinking that the call to prayer (adhan-i Muhammedi) will forever echo in the heavens, and the delicate crescent will wave like the dawn. There were those who tried to drive us out of here. There were those who attempted to darken our horizons, to take away our freedom. There were those who attempted to destroy our brotherhood and build walls of discord between us. Sometimes they tried to do this with occupying armies. Sometimes they mobilized their pawns in our country. First, on December 17-25, and then on July 15, they attacked us with the militants they had nurtured and raised for 40 years. Thank God." "With unwavering faith and will, we repelled them all, one by one. We defended the sacred legacy of our martyrs and veterans with all our hands. We stood together, united, and back to back in the countless attacks we faced over the last 23 years, and ultimately, we disappointed those who set their sights on our homeland," he said.

"WE EMBRACE ALL PHASES OF OUR MILLENNIAL-YEAR EXISTENCE IN ANATOLIA"

Erdoğan, noting that the 103rd anniversary of August 30th Victory Day will be celebrated with enthusiasm at the Presidential Complex, said, "We do not begin our history a hundred years in advance, unlike the representatives of the single-party mentality in our country. On the contrary, we cherish our entire history. Despite the rootless who try to pit our Republic against the Seljuks and Ottomans, we embrace all the stages of our millennium-long existence in Anatolia. The deeper the roots of a tree, the stronger its trunk. The stronger its trunk, the broader and more encompassing its branches. Thank God, we are a nation with roots, trunk, and branches all intact. God willing, we will continue to live freely in our homeland for many centuries to come. We will leave a great and powerful Turkey to future generations who will embellish our millennium-long existence in these lands with many more victories and many more epics."

'THE OPPRESSIONS WE LIVE ARE BROKENING OUR HEARTS'

Criticizing Israel's attacks on Gaza, Erdoğan said, "The oppression experienced in our heartland, especially Gaza, today breaks our hearts. The images of innocent children, their bellies clutching at their backs from hunger, bleed our hearts like every living being with a heart. We are all saddened and grieved by the genocide of an oppressed people before the eyes of the so-called civilized world. The fact that the Zionist murder network can continue its massacres with such arrogance naturally angers us all, but we know this truth very well, in light of thousands of years of experience: oppressors who see themselves in a giant mirror will inevitably lose, will be humiliated, and will perish. There is no doubt that those who shed that blood will drown in the streams of blood shed by the innocent. Almighty God may leave the accountability of the oppressors to tomorrow, but He will not let them get away with it. Our Palestinian brothers and sisters, who are targeted by treacherous bullets and bombs every day before the cameras, will eventually be held accountable."

"WE WILL CONTINUE OUR FIGHT AGAINST CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS WITH RESOLUTION"

Addressing the officers and non-commissioned officers who successfully graduated, Erdoğan said, "I see that we have many female officers and non-commissioned officers among you. Courage has no gender. Devotion has no measure. I have no doubt that all of you, women and men, will represent the institution you are a member of with glory and honor. I also ask you to never forget this: fame is temporary, honor is permanent. Authority is temporary, reputation is permanent. Position is temporary, but the mark is permanent. Your duty is to leave a mark. To leave a mark in goodness, justice, mercy, and service to the state and nation. I wholeheartedly believe that each of you will perform your duty with this awareness. The culture of this institution is genuine self-confidence, unwavering discipline, and calm courage. We expect you to carry these three values ​​simultaneously under all circumstances. I ask each of my friends here to hold tightly to these values ​​throughout their professional lives. As the government, we will continue to provide the necessary opportunities for you to fulfill your duties in the best possible way. We are especially committed to our fight against street gangs, criminal organizations, and drug dealers." "We will continue resolutely within the framework of the law. We will strike down anyone who considers themselves superior to the state, the law, and the fundamental values ​​that form society. Those who threaten Türkiye's peace will face the iron will of all our state's security forces. I pray that God grants us all the opportunity to rightfully protect this cherished homeland, entrusted to us by our martyrs and veterans," he said.

DHA

Reporter: News Center