With the transition to the new presidential system following the June 24 elections, Turkey continues to take important steps to achieve its goal of fast-paced change in the country.
The two-year state of emergency declared after the July 15 coup attempt to maintain a country-wide fight against the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) and other terror groups ended today.
Declared by many EU countries facing terrorist threats and still ongoing in France, a state of emergency was necessary for Turkey, as well. Thanks to this two-year period, many important steps have been taken in the fight against the terror groups such as FETÖ, the PKK and Daesh. Extended several times upon citizens' demand, the state of emergency was not extended this time, as promised by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan before the elections.
Since the two-year state of emergency will not be extended any further, Turkey is taking a series of legal measures to keep up its effective fight against terrorist groups within the framework of the law and to prevent another coup threat. The new regulations are aimed at protecting the fundamental rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution while sustaining an effective fight against terrorism. Any country facing terrorist threats cannot afford to stop or lay off the fight, especially Turkey, which is battling a number of terror groups both inside and outside the country. Thanks to Turkey's war against terrorism over the past two years, terrorist attacks in Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Europe have greatly decreased. Close cooperation between EU countries and Turkey is essential for maintaining security and eradicating terrorism.
The European Parliament and some EU countries, including countries that have suffered a great deal from terrorism, like France and Belgium, unduly criticized Turkey for its state of emergency by ignoring the same ongoing practice in the EU. They also condoned the harboring of many FETÖ militants within the EU by using the state of emergency as a pretext.
As of today, neither the EU nor the European Parliament will be able to hide behind the pretext: "There is a state of emergency in Turkey."
Turkey has pulled its weight in this respect and did not extend the state of emergency. We will see whether the EU and the European Parliament will do their part.
Cooperating against Daesh alone will not sufficiently resolve the terrorism directed at humanity. Without putting up an effective fight against FETÖ and the PKK, which are even more dangerous than Daesh, it is not possible to eradicate Daesh. Over the last two years, FETÖ, the PKK and its Syrian offshoots, the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the People's Protection Units (YPG), have cooperated with Daesh many times and allowed many Daesh militants to flee.
To end terorism for good, EU countries need to stop flirting with FETÖ and the PKK. If EU countries keep giving covert support to FETÖ despite knowing the true nature of the group, the entire EU will have to face a state of emergency in future.
The EU must face the truth and do what is necessary.