Addressing a symposium in Ankara on Monday, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said the state’s institutions learned their lessons from the “painful experience” that was the July 15, 2016 coup attempt by military infiltrators of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).
The symposium organized by Turkish think-tank, the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), brought together academics, researchers, jurists and journalists. The two-session symposium focused on legal, political and social dimensions of the coup attempt, how it is remembered in collective memory and the transformation of Türkiye during and after the coup attempt.
Yılmaz was deputy chair of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) at the time of the coup attempt. He told the symposium that 10 years that followed the coup attempt have been an era of comprehensive restructuring. “Our institutions achieved a stronger capacity that can respond to a shifting security environment and new threats (after the coup attempt),” Yılmaz stated.
He emphasized the importance of “assessing major incidents correctly” that could be translated into a social conscience. “It is as important to explain it correctly as remembering July 15,” he said.
Yılmaz stated that although FETÖ was “gone,” it was essential to remain alert against similar networks and Türkiye still had a responsibility to fight the terrorist group internationally.
He noted how Türkiye transformed, especially in terms of security, after the attempt.
"In my opinion, the execution of cross-border operations (against terrorist groups) immediately after the coup attempt is one of the best examples of this. Some Western circles back then were putting forward arguments like 'FETÖ members are being purged, the institutions have weakened.' On the contrary, with the purge of FETÖ members, many of our institutions, particularly our army, began to fulfill their true duties in a much more effective manner,” Yılmaz said.
“With the reforms implemented under the leadership of our President, important steps have been taken in many areas, from security to public administration, and from intelligence to the judiciary. Coordination among our institutions has strengthened, decision-making processes have accelerated, and our state's maneuverability during moments of crisis has significantly increased. The institutional resilience we possess today is the product not only of the steps taken in the wake of July 15 but also of a strong vision that shapes our state experience in line with future needs,” he added.
