News / Turkey

All Erdogan’s meals tested for fear of his life, personal doctor says

Tuesday, 03 March 2015 6:30 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 03 March 2015 6:38 PM ]

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gets every meal prepared for him both at home and abroad tested over fears of an attempt on his life, his personal doctor says.

Cevdet Erdol told the Hurriyet newspaper on Tuesday that currently samples of Erdogan’s food are analyzed in laboratories in the capital, Ankara, and the city of Istanbul and during his visits abroad.

Moreover, the president is planning to build a fully-equipped special food analysis laboratory at his controversial palace to make sure of the safety of his food.

“It’s usually not through bullets that prominent figures are being assassinated these days,” Erdol said.

A five-member emergency team is also present at the heavily-guarded palace 24 hours a day to analyze everything Erdogan eats and drinks to protect him against radiation, chemical materials and bacteria.

“Fortunately, we have not had any serious incidents so far,” Erdol said.

Erdogan, who has been at the helm of power in Turkey since 2003, has been accused of increasing megalomania by his opponents.

He opened his 1,150-room grandiose palace (shown below) last year on the outskirts of Ankara, in a move that was condemned by his critics as an absurd profligacy. They believe the mansion is indicative of Erdogan’s further slip toward an authoritarian rule.