Video: Turkiye's Erdogan Cuts Off Live Interview Due to Stomach Flu
01:24 GMT 26.04.2023 (Updated: 06:45 GMT 26.04.2023)
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ANKARA (Sputnik) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's interview with local broadcasters was abruptly interrupted on Tuesday night as the Turkish leader felt unwell during the live event due to stomach flu, also known as gastroenteritis.
The interview began late Tuesday because of the president's busy election campaign. The live broadcast was abruptly interrupted as a journalist began to ask a question about future cabinet reshuffles. The long pause during the event momentarily raised concern on social media.
Video of the interruption does not show Erdogan walk off but instead shows the interviewer appear somewhat stunned before the broadcast goes to a halt.
VİDEO HABER | Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan’ın canlı yayında soruları yanıtladığı esnada aniden reklama gidildi.
— serbestiyet (@serbestiyetweb) April 25, 2023
Yayın kesilmeden önce bir kişinin “Eyvah eyvah” dediği duyuldu. pic.twitter.com/XfdUMB5TQR
After two short questions, a moderator announced that the interview with the Turkish leader was about to end to "allow Mr. President to rest."
Shortly after the interview was called off, Erdogan issued a release apologizing for the setback and stating that he had caught a stomach bug.
"First of all, I wish you good health. There was a lot of election work yesterday and today. That is why I got the stomach flu. I even wondered if we should cancel the program. But we promised, and we came. I apologize to you and our viewers," Erdogan said in the broadcast after the pause.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the presidential candidate of the Turkish opposition alliance, wished Erdogan a speedy recovery after he felt unwell. "I send my best wishes for a speedy recovery to Mr. Erdogan," Kilicdaroglu said on Twitter.
Meral Aksener, the leader of the Good Party, also wished Erdogan a speedy recovery on Twitter.
Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin tweeted that Erdogan "is in good health, thank God."
Turkiye's presidential and parliamentary elections are set to take place on May 14. The elections are likely to become the most challenging for Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party due to the February earthquakes, which killed at least 50,000 people and caused significant material damage.
Kilicdaroglu, put forward by a six-party opposition alliance, is considered Erdogan's main opponent. Results of pre-election polls are constantly changing and have not yet revealed an unquestionable favorite in the upcoming election. The list of presidential candidates also includes Muharrem Ince of the Homeland Party and Sinan Ogan of the ATA Alliance.
