Georgia’s leaders congratulate Erdogan as Turkey's first elected President

Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili and Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili are extending their warm congratulations to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was the first Turkish President directly elected by the country's people.

Erdogan earned a landslide victory in Turkey's first citizen-elected Presidential election on Sunday, extending his 12-year grip on power and securing a mandate to fulfill his pledge of creating a "new Turkey”.

"[This election] has reiterated the firm support of the Turkish people for the reforms implemented in the country under your leadership. Thanks to these reforms, Turkey has overcome more than one challenge and achieved economic success,” Garibashvili said in a congratulation letter.

In a written statement issued by the press office of the Prime Minister’s Administration, Garibashvili said Georgia gave special importance to further developing its close interstate relations with Turkey and people-to-people contacts.

"[We] deeply appreciate your lasting and immense contribution to the promotion of the neighbourly and partner relations between Georgia and Turkey. I am convinced that our cooperation will remain successful in the future for the benefit of our countries and the region in general,” he said.

Meanwhile, Margvelashvili said in his congratulation letter that the "close cooperation of two countries based on the principle of the mutual support and friendship would continue for the benefit of Georgia and Turkey”.

Erdogan has been Turkey’s Prime Minister since 2003. He was barred from standing another term so amended the constitution and was subsequently elected as the country’s first President. He will be inaugurated on August 28.