Turkish Presidency Dismisses Reports of Erdogan’s Heart Attack

A woman shows her child a picture of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul, 18 January 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE/ERDEM SAHIN

"We categorically reject such baseless claims regarding President Erdogan's health," Fahrettin Altun, President of the Communications Directorate under the Presidency, wrote on Wednesday night.

The Centre for Countering Disinformation under the Presidency also wrote on Wednesday night: "Claims stating that President Erdogan suffered a heart attack, and he was hospitalised, are untrue."

Erdogan's aides confirmed only that he is unwell due to a cold he got during the busy election campaign.

"Our President will attend the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant ceremony, which is planned to be held tomorrow, online. Our Mersin rally is planned to be held at a later date," Erkan Kandemir, Vice President of Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party, AKP, said on Wednesday night.

In addition to cancelling the opening ceremony of the nuclear plant and a rally in Mersin, President Erdogan cancelled several other events, as well as a TV interview on Thursday.

Only 17 days before critical presidential and parliamentary elections, Erdogan caused alarm when he appeared to suffer a major health scare during a live TV interview.

Thousands of viewers who watched the interview saw Ulke TV's editor-in-chief Hasan Ozturk pause mid-question and rise from his chair in alarm as a voice off-camera exclaimed: "God help us," before an ad break.

No cameras were on the President as the moment unfolded, causing many to speculate about whether Erdogan had a heart attack or an epileptic crisis.

Following a break, Erdogan returned to the interview with a grim face saying that he had got a cold, and the interview was...