Full lockdown against COVID-19 imposed late: CHP leader

The government should have imposed the full lockdown as part of COVID-19 measures much earlier, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said on April 28.

"The closing process had to be done well in advance. But that did not happen, politics came into play, halls were filled, and we have arrived at today's situation. Now there are no tourists," he said, speaking online at the İzmir Chamber of Commerce (IZTO) the April Ordinary Assembly meeting.

The tourism sector is an area that contributes to approximately 54 other sectors, he said, expressing hope that all of these problems will be overcome during the full lockdown process.

It is the political institution that does not do its part to curb the increasing number of infections, the CHP leader stated. "We are doing our part. We have a serious problem here," he added.

"We have always explained what needs to be done during the pandemic phase. We shared our thoughts on this at almost every chance, rather than a criticism of the opposition of the government. But most of this did not happen," he said.

Addressing businessmen, Kılıçdaroğlu said it is the common duty to bring Turkey to a truly contemporary civilization in the next century. "Never be pessimistic! Turkey has the capacity to overcome all of its problems," he stated.

Turkey is set to enforce a full lockdown starting from April 29 evening until May 17 to stem the spread of the coronavirus, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced on April 26.