Erdogan: You Have Right To Demand Death Penalties

Sovereignty belongs to the nation unconditionally; you have the right to demand the death penalty, stated Turkish President Erdogan in front of participants in the opening of the Euro-Asian tunnel under the Bosphorus on Tuesday, reported BGNES.

In his speech, Erdogan condemned the murder of the Russian ambassador to Ankara Andrey Karlov on Monday night and expressed again his condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the friendly people of Russia on behalf of the Turkish nation.

"Immediately after the attack, I contacted Putin and expressed my deep sorrow. We are both of the opinion that this crime is an open provocation against bi-lateral relations," said Erdogan.

Erdogan praised the implementation of the mega project of constructing the tunnel which connects the European and the Asian parts of the country.

"Besides serving the people, we were constructing this road under the sea. Its value is USD 1.245 B. 100,000 cars will pass through it daily and there will be no reports of traffic jams, fogs and storms. The Turkish state has not financed this project with a single lira but the treasury will profit 180 million Turkish lira every year."

The tunnel has two levels; it covers 14.6 km and reaches a depth of 106 metres below sea level. It will operate 24/7 after January 30. The speed limit has been set at 70km/h. It is expected that, initially, 130,000 vehicles will pass through the tunnel. The tunnel is constructed to withstand a 9.0-magnitude earthquake.