On the anniversary of the Ottoman victory in the Mediterranean ... Erdogan: We continue to protect our rights in our seas

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan affirmed today, Saturday, that his country continues to protect its rights and interests in its seas with strong will and unwavering faith, on the occasion of the Naval Forces Day and the anniversary of the Battle of Prouza, in which the Ottomans won in the Mediterranean.

In a letter published by the Presidency's Communication Department, the victory of the Ottoman Navy, led by Khair al-Din Barbaros Pasha, over the "Crusader Alliance" fleet in the Battle of Prouza in 1538, is considered one of the most important turning points in the history of the Turkish Navy.

The Battle of Preveza (Preveza) took place near the port of Preveza, in western Greece, and ended with the victory of the Ottoman fleet over the "Holy Crusader League" coalition organized by Pope Paul III, and this victory secured Ottoman sovereignty over the Mediterranean for a long time.

In his statement, Erdogan stressed that the victory in the battle contributed to the tightening of the Ottoman navy's control over the Mediterranean, and showed the strength of its fleet to the whole world, and expressed his deep pride in the naval forces for their history full of victories, and their endeavor to bequeath this great legacy to future generations in an optimal manner.

"Our naval forces guarantee the safety of our seas surrounding our country from 3 directions," he added, noting that recent events in the world, especially the eastern Mediterranean, show that Turkey must become strong in the seas as well, as is the case in other areas.

The President affirmed that, based on the importance of defending the blue homeland (areas of maritime jurisdiction), Turkey continues to protect its rights and interests in its seas with strong will and unwavering faith, as stated in the statement.

Erdogan concluded the statement by noting that Turkey is one of the ten countries in the world that has the ability to design and establish its warships on its own, and that it continues to strengthen its naval forces in order to give confidence to its friends and deter those who are greedy for its rights.