Turkey’s outgoing Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu is continuing his tour to bid farewell to senior state executives and his closest aides, days before he is set to quit his position.
The prime minister and his wife, Sare Davutoğlu, hosted aides and officials at their office at a reception late on May 15, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on May 16.
“To be the prime minister of the Republic of Turkey, to bear the responsibility of the 78 million people, is the greatest grace one can ever have in life. I am thankful to God for this. I am proud to have borne such a responsibility and to have worked so hard for 20 months,” Davutoğlu said at the reception.
He will hand over the leadership of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and of the government to his successor, who is expected to be elected at the party’s extraordinary convention on May 22 in Ankara.
Both the prime minister and his wife thanked all Prime Ministry officials for their service over his 20 months in office. “You should know that we will continue to be together as family elders,” he said.
On May 16, Davutoğlu bid farewell to Parliament Speaker İsmail Kahraman accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Lütfi Elvan and the deputy parliamentary group leaders of the AKP, Naci Bostancı and Bülent Turan.
His schedule in the coming days includes further meetings with AKP lawmakers, executives and mayors.
