ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st April, 2020) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday he expected the country to return to normal life in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic in late May.
"Our goal is that after Ramadan [the holy month observed by Muslims and ends on May 23], life returned to normal," Erdogan said in a televised address to the nation.
The president also announced additional measures to support the private sector and citizens due to the pandemic.
"A deferred rent payment for small businesses is introduced for six months. At the first stage, we provided targeted assistance to 2.1 million families, each receiving 1,000 liras [about $145]. At the second stage, another 2.3 million families will receive such assistance. There will be the third stage, too. We are accepting requests that we will carefully study," Erdogan added.
The Turkish leader went on to say that about $250 million have already been collected as part of the state campaign to raise funds to fight the pandemic.
The total number of COVID-19 cases confirmed in Turkey since the start of the outbreak has reached 90,980. The death toll stands at 2,140.
On Saturday, the Turkish government extended the lockdown in the 31 provinces, among them Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Antalya, for 15 more days.
