04.03.2026 21:31
President Erdoğan criticized CHP Chairman Özgür Özel for his remarks about ROKETSAN's missile test firing in Sinop, claiming that the fish were frightened. Erdoğan stated, "In the NATO exercise in Germany, our armed forces not only made us proud but also received appreciation from our allies. If we had listened to 'Don't conduct missile tests, the fish are scared,' we certainly would not have achieved these."
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who attended the iftar program with Mehmetçik at the Special Operations Command, made striking statements. Erdoğan indirectly targeted the CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, who reacted to ROKETSAN's missile test firing in Sinop a few months ago, citing that the fish were frightened.
"WE OWE IT TO THE DETERRENCE OF OUR HEROIC ARMY"
Erdoğan said: "If today we stand out as an island of stability in the midst of a surrounding fire circle, we owe this first and foremost to our national character that never accepts captivity, and to the deterrence of our heroic army. The Republic of Turkey has a political, diplomatic, and economic power, with an education, equipment, and vision that impresses the whole world through the Turkish Armed Forces. We continue to strengthen our heroic army, which our ancestors encouraged for centuries with the cries of 'Oh glorious army, oh glorious soldier,' by providing all kinds of support.
"IF WE HAD LISTENED TO 'THE FISH ARE FRIGHTENED,' WE WOULD NOT HAVE ACHIEVED THESE"
We completed defense and aviation exports with record figures. In the NATO exercise in Germany, our armed forces both made us proud and received appreciation from our allies. If we had listened to 'Don't conduct missile tests, the fish are frightened,' we certainly would not have achieved these. If we want to live in this land, which is our eternal homeland, we must continuously increase our deterrence. In these troubled days, we do not leave the security of our borders and airspace to chance.