ANKARA, July 12. /TASS/. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the 47-year era of terrorism in the republic has effectively ended following the formal disarmament ceremony held by Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants on Friday.

"The terrorist organization [PKK] had previously declared its decision to dissolve itself. As part of this decision, it took a step forward and laid down its arms in a ceremony held in Northern Iraq on Friday," Erdogan said, addressing members of the ruling Justice and Development Party.

"My beloved people, yesterday marked the end of a 47-year era of terrorism. Today, a new page has been opened in our country’s history, and the doors to a great and powerful Turkey have been thrown wide open," he declared.