Za njega je ta nagrada i "slavljenje turskog jezika, turske kulture, čiji sam ja dio," kao i "priznanje moje 32-godišnje skromne posvećenosti velikoj vještini romanopisca," izjavio je on za britanski dnevnik Guardian.
For him the prize was both "a celebration of the Turkish language, of Turkish culture, which I'm a part of," as well as "recognition of my 32 years of humble devotion to the great art of the novel," he told the British daily The Guardian.