President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Friday that Türkiye had rebuilt and revived cities devastated by the February 6 earthquakes “in just three years,” rejecting criticism over the pace of reconstruction.
Speaking at a memorial ceremony and mass opening of completed projects held under the theme “Risen from the Ashes Again, Look at the Strength of My Türkiye,” Erdoğan said the twin earthquakes were among the worst disasters in the country’s history.
He put the direct economic cost of the quakes at $104 billion, with indirect losses reaching $150 billion.
“By showing the finest example of state–nation solidarity, we healed the wounds together and once again demonstrated Türkiye’s strength to the world,” Erdoğan said.
The president accused political opponents of exploiting the suffering of quake survivors and spreading disinformation in the aftermath of the disaster.
“Those who hoped our government and alliance would be buried under the rubble were left deeply disappointed,” he said, adding that his administration had not bowed to what he called “toxic politics” aimed at undermining its resolve.
Erdoğan said the state had delivered 455,000 housing units to survivors, insisting that rebuilding efforts had been completed in a remarkably short time.
“Despite constant criticism over three years, we rebuilt and revived our cities,” he said, calling on opposition figures to acknowledge the scale of the reconstruction effort.
