Ambassador: Turkish Democracy after Coup Attempt & the Need for Better Understanding

It has been more than two months since democracy in Turkey came under a heinous attack, when a group of military officers, acting outside the formal chain of command, attempted to overthrow the democratically elected government by a coup. Thanks to the heroic resistance of the Turkish nation and the unprecedented unity among all political actors, the coup attempt was quickly foiled and thus a catastrophe was averted.

Today, daily life is back to normal with no restriction on democratic rights and freedoms of the people, while the economy continues to do well in all areas, as Turkey has recorded a two-year high export volume in August and became one of the five fastest growing economies of the world. There has also not been a single example of coup-related violence since July 15.

That said, the traumatic impact of the coup attempt still weighs heavily in the minds and hearts of every Turkish citizen. This is not only because the coup plotters brutally killed more than 250 innocent civilians and injured thousands of people on the night of July 15, but also because we have found out that the organization behind the coup had long infiltrated, like a cancerous cell, the entire state, as well as the media, private sector and academia.

This is why there is an unequivocal determination across the entire nation to bring to justice all those who planned, carried out and supported this treasonous act. To this end, there is no difference of view between the governing and opposition parties. There is also no doubt in the minds of anyone in Turkey that the coup plotters are in fact terrorists and although their organization (FETO) is of a unique nature given its ability to disguise itself as a moderate religious movement, they have to be treated no differently than any other terrorist organization.

It is against this backdrop that the Turkish people are truly disappointed to see some of our Allies and partners failing to understand the true nature of the threat Turkey is faced with, and, instead, questioning the necessity and appropriateness of the steps taken to eliminate this menace. It becomes all the more hurtful when we see certain circles claiming that Turkey is deviating from democracy and that the failed coup attempt is being used as a pretext for steps in this direction.

I truly find these allegations absurd and even insulting, to say the least. They are first and foremost disrespectful to and in denial of the many lives lost on the night of July 15 to save democracy. Indeed, millions of Turkish citizens who took the streets on that night did not do so for one person or a single party, but people of all ages and political persuasions risked their lives to make sure that democracy in Turkey is not in any way derailed or hijacked.

In other words, Turkish democracy today is stronger than ever given the unprecedented social and political unity underpinning it, as well as the sacrifices made to uphold it. As such, it is inconceivable to think that Turkish people will allow anything to steal away their victory and undermine the democracy for which they made the ultimate sacrifice. Therefore, not only are coups d’etat no longer possible in Turkey, but it is evident that Turkish democracy will continue to flourish in compliance with the will of the Turkish nation.

Moreover, all the steps taken so far in the aftermath of the coup attempt are in conformity with the rule of law principle. In this regard, administrative and legal decisions are within the boundaries of Turkish laws, judiciary processes are conducted with full transparency and all repeal mechanisms, including individual application to European Court of Human Rights, are available for those who are affected. Turkey has also declared its readiness to work with the Council of Europe to ensure that the highest standards of democracy are observed while delivering justice.

On the other hand, the measures taken in relation with the coup attempt are also commensurate with the threat faced. For instance, many in the West are questioning the high number of people that are being tried for their involvement in the coup. However, one should not forget that the terrorist organization behind this coup attempt functions like a secretive cult and that they have been infiltrating into the state institutions for the last 40 years without being detected. Therefore, we are now in the process of cleaning our state and society of decades of intoxication. This is a difficult but absolutely necessary task, without which our democracy cannot function properly.

In this regard, one should also see that what is at stake here is not only Turkish democracy. As Prime Minister Kvirikashvili said during his historic visit to Turkey just three days after the coup attempt, the state of democracy in Turkey is critical to the entire region. In other words, if the coup plotters had been successful in overthrowing the democratically elected government in Turkey, the hopes for cultivating and consolidating democracy in the much wider region would also have been jeopardized.

This is why we rightfully expect all our Allies and partners with whom we share the same values of democracy to show solidarity with Turkey at this critical time and support our fight against all forms of terrorism, including FETO, which is a threat to not only Turkish democracy but to all countries they operate in.

In this regard, it is imperative to have a frank dialogue so that we can dispel misunderstandings and work together around shared objectives. In Georgia, we certainly have such a friend and partner. But I am also glad to see that our Allies in the West are also moving in this direction as evident by a number of high-level visits to Turkey from the US and European countries.

After all, Turkey has always been an indispensable part of the Euro-Atlantic community and nothing can change this fact, which represents not only a long-standing deliberate choice of the Turkish people but an obligation brought upon us by our shared values and principles.

H.E. Zeki Levent Gümrükçü, Ambassador of Turkey to Georgia