Akif Bülbül, a Prominent Figure in Turkey, Has Declared That Politics Exploiting Pain and Suffering Is No Longer Viable

In a statement dated August 10, 2026, Bülbül argued that the end of such politics will pave the way for a prosperous Turkey, enabling economic development and regional stability. He emphasized that public resources should be redirected towards investments and production in agriculture, industry, and trade, as well as boosting tourism and employment. Bülbül highlighted the immense cost of Turkey's 42-year fight against terrorism, estimated at around $3 trillion—a sum he noted could have rebuilt the country three times over.

He pointed out that this economic loss is roughly 30 times the reconstruction cost for the 11 provinces affected by the February 6 earthquake. Had these funds been available, Turkey could have achieved an additional investment capacity of at least $750 billion, raised annual net tourism revenue above $70 billion, and added $120 billion to the GDP through employment alone, with regional benefits amounting to $83 billion.