Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the tightening of measures to combat human trafficking and prevent the infiltration of hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants, emphasizing that Turkey will not tolerate racism and xenophobia. During the graduation ceremony for officers of the Turkish Gendarmerie and Coast Guard Academy in the capital Ankara, Erdogan stated: "We have intensified measures against human traffickers within the country and along the border."
He revealed that "since the beginning of this year, we have prevented the entry of 143,000 irregular migrants into Turkey," pointing out that while all kinds of measures are being taken against irregular migration, Turkey welcomes its foreign guests who contribute to the Turkish economy. He asserted, "We cannot allow racism and xenophobia, which have no place in our history, culture, or beliefs, to spread in our society," stressing that "Turkey will not let a few ignorant individuals tarnish the clean record of a country that has been a refuge for the oppressed and downtrodden for centuries."
Regarding the fight against terrorism, the Turkish president affirmed that "there is no path for terrorists but to surrender to Turkish justice or face the iron fist of the Turkish state," noting that "participation in terrorist organizations has decreased to its lowest levels."
