July 15 landmark for Turkish democracy, history: Erdoğan

ANKARA

The foiled coup on July 15, 2016, constitutes a landmark for the Turkish democracy and history as the people resisted the coup plotters, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, as the nation marked the sixth anniversary of the bloody putsch at the hands of the FETÖ terrorist organization.

“Thank God, we did manage to turn the July 15 into a landmark. From now on, Turkish history will be examined in two periods, before and after July 15, in terms of the maturity of our democracy and resolute acknowledgment of the power of the national will,” Erdoğan said in his message on July 15.

Türkiye narrowly escaped the coup staged by FETÖ members within the Turkish army in 2016. The people who hit the streets in defense of democracy thwarted the coup at the expense of their lives. Some 252 people were killed during the events on that night mostly in Istanbul and Ankara.

Erdoğan reiterated his gratitude to those who actively resisted the putschists, stressing, “No doubt, the main significance of July 15 for us is the fact it marks the first active and glorious resistance of our people against coup d’états that our country faced throughout its history.”

The people protected the republic, democracy and the achievements of this country on July 15, Erdoğan said, adding, “With this resistance, we have shown to our friends and foes that Türkiye can never be taken hostage and the Turkish people will never be brought to its knees.”

Measures taken against future plots

The president assured that all the administrative and legal measures have been taken and are being taken to eliminate plotters and the source of this treason so that Türkiye will not face such a threat again in the future. Recalling that they have designated July 15 as Democracy and National Unity Day, Erdoğan said that such incidents mark the signs of a new era and the rise of a nation.

The government did not only wipe out the FETÖ members but also all the terrorists threatening the unity of Türkiye, Erdoğan stated, informing that both ISIL and the PYD/YPG terror gangs have been destroyed thanks to a new strategy that aims to eliminate the threats in their nests.

“We have confined the terror organizations behind a line we have drawn beyond our borders instead of confronting them in our soils,” he said, referring to the Turkish military’s cross-border operations into Syria.

Current economic problems global

Erdoğan, in his message, also referred to ongoing economic problems in the country, particularly soaring inflation and high cost of living.

The president stressed that they are exerting great efforts to turn the global and regional crises into opportunities, vowing they have the power, determination and will to resolve all the existing economic difficulties, including the high cost of living. He also said they would never allow those who try to change the course of Türkiye through economic plots.

“Inflation that has been soaring as a result of an increase in the global commodity prices, particularly energy prices due to conditions stemming from the pandemic and the war [in Ukraine] is a global problem and not only ours. We will surely be one of the first countries that will overcome this problem,” he vowed.

July 15 coup an attempt against Türkiye’s expanding influence: Parliament speaker

Some foreign powers who desired to stop Türkiye’s growing influence in the world and the region and wanted to block the country’s efforts to explore and find new hydrocarbon resources on its soils orchestrated the July 15 failed coup d’etat by using the FETO, Turkish Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop said on the sixth anniversary of the bloody putsch.

Parliament, which was one of the main targets of the FETÖ during the July 15 coup attempt, marked the sixth anniversary of the putsch through panels, exhibitions and ceremonies. Şentop addressed lawmakers, ministers and the families of martyrs at the ceremony held in front of the July 15 Monument at the presidential compound.

“We all know in detail the course of the July 15 coup attempt and what happened on that night. But what we need to underline are the reasons for this treacherous attempt,” Şentop said. At a moment when the global order is in a process of reset, some powers do not like to see Türkiye growingly autonomous and independent in its region and an assertive economic power, the speaker stated, stressing that the coup attempt was aiming to confine this country to a limited role.

“It should be well noted that Türkiye will never accept any imposition that will endanger its security. Türkiye has made important progress in the past six years after thwarting this coup. It has now become much clear that those who use terror as a diplomatic tool have openly or discreetly protected the FETÖ,” he stated.

One of the areas the powers do not want Türkiye to become self-sufficient is energy, Şentop said, recalling that the country’s efforts to explore and find its own hydrocarbon resources had to be stalled for nearly 60 years due to foreign interventions and military coups.

“Among the reasons of the July 15 is the fact Türkiye has been insistent on its rights in the eastern Mediterranean,” Şentop said, underlining the importance of sticking with the Blue Homeland concept for the future of Türkiye.