Amir attends inauguration ceremony of Turkish President

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani attended the inauguration ceremony of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was sworn in for a new presidential term, assuming sweeping powers he won in a referendum last year and sealed in a hard-fought re-election victory two weeks ago.

The inauguration ceremony, which was held in the Presidential Compound Monday evening, was attended by a number of heads of states and governments, representatives of heads of states, ministers, heads of parliaments of some countries and representatives of international organisations.

Earlier upon his arrival at the Esenboga International Airport, His Highness the Amir was welcomed by Turkey’s Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Askin Bak and Qatar’s Ambassador to Turkey Salem bin Mubarak al- Shafi along with members of the Qatari embassy in Ankara.

The Amir left Ankara later in the evening after attending the inauguration ceremony.

Erdogan took the oath of office at the Turkish Parliament headquarters at the Grand National Assembly chaired by Acting Parliament Speaker Durmus Yilmaz.

“As president, I swear upon my honour and integrity, before the great Turkish nation and history, to work with all my power to protect and exalt the glory and honour of the Republic of Turkey,” Erdogan told parliament as he took the oath of office.

He referred to the principles of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern Turkish Republic and vowed to “remain loyal to the rule of law, to the democratic and secular republic, and to Ataturk’s principles and reforms”.

Erdogan’s re-election in the June 24 polls marked Turkey’s transition to an executive presidential system of government, abolishing the prime minister’s post, among other changes.

Erdogan won an absolute majority in the presidential election with 52.5% of the vote, according to Turkey’s Supreme Election Council (YSK).

Reuters adds: After taking the oath of office in parliament, he addressed international leaders gathered at the presidential palace in Ankara.

Erdogan pledged to build a “strong Turkey” with a powerful defence industry and expanding economy.

“We, as Turkey and as the Turkish people, are making a new start here today,” he told the dignitaries and thousands of guests. “We are leaving behind the system that has in the past cost our country a heavy price in political and economic chaos.”

Erdogan, 64, says the new, powerful executive presidency is vital to drive economic growth, ensure security after a failed 2016 military coup and safeguard Turkey from conflict across its southern border in Syria and Iraq.

“We are embarking on this road by using this opportunity as best we can for a strong parliament, strong government and strong Turkey,” he said.

The introduction of the new presidential system marks the biggest overhaul of governance since the republic was established on the ruins of the Ottoman Empire nearly a century ago.

The post of prime minister has been scrapped and the president will now be able to select his own cabinet, regulate ministries and remove civil servants, all without parliamentary approval.

Erdogan’s supporters see the changes as just reward for a leader who has put Islamic values at the core of public life, championed the pious working classes and overseen years of strong economic growth.

Among the dignitaries present at the ceremony were Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

حضر حضرة صاحب السمو الشيخ تميم بن حمد آل ثاني أمير البلاد المفدى، مراسم حفل تنصيب أخيه فخامة الرئيس رجب طيب أردوغان، لفترة رئاسية جديدة، كأول رئيس للجمهورية التركية الشقيقة، بعد التعديل الدستوري الجديد.

وحضر حفل المراسم -التي أقيمت بالمجمع الرئاسي مساء الاثنين- عدد من أصحاب الفخامة رؤساء الدول ورؤساء الحكومات، وممثلي قادة الدول، إضافة إلى عدد من الوزراء، ورؤساء البرلمانات لبعض الدول، وممثلين عن المنظمات الدولية.

ووصل صاحب السمو إلى العاصمة التركية أنقرة مساء أمس، وكان في استقبال سموه لدى وصوله مطار «أسن بوغا» سعادة السيد عثمان اشكن باك وزير الشباب والرياضة، وسعادة السيد سالم مبارك آل شافي سفير دولة قطر لدى تركيا، وأعضاء السفارة القطرية.

وغادر صاحب السمو أنقرة، مساء أمس، بعد حضوره مراسم حفل تنصيب الرئيس التركي.;