President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan thanked representatives of Turkey's religious minorities for providing support to the nationwide fundraising campaign to help families affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
The president called İsak Haleva, chief rabbi of the Turkish Jewish Community, Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomeos, Metropolitan Yusuf Çetin, head of the Syriac Church of Istanbul and Ankara, Armenian Orthodox Patriarch Sahak Maşalyan and Erol Kohen, the co-president of the Turkish Jewish Community to thank them for their contributions.
Haleva announced that he donated five months of his salary to the campaign, while Kohen donated TL 1.2 million ($177,000).
The patriarchate announced a TL 300,000 donation while the foundation which runs Syriac churches donated TL 100,000 for the "We are Self-Sufficient" campaign launched by the Turkish Presidency.
After Erdoğan's announcement, people from all walks of life across the country rushed to contribute. At least TL 240 million was donated to the campaign, which began with Erdoğan himself donating seven months worth of his personal salary. Top public lenders Ziraat and Vakıfbank announced a donation of more than TL 11 million on Tuesday and Wednesday, while major telecom provider Türk Telekom contributed TL 40 million. Supreme Court President Mehmet Akarca also announced Wednesday that he had asked every judge and prosecutor to donate at least TL 1,000 for the campaign. Stock exchange Borsa İstanbul announced a contribution of TL 5 million.
