Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said, "Just like yesterday, today, under the leadership of our President, we have always protected the rights of our martyrs' relatives and veterans, we have been with them, we promised that we will continue to be with them. No one should have any doubt about this." he said.
Minister Göktaş attended the "15 July Democracy and National Unity Day Commemoration Program" organized by the Turkish Veterans and Martyrs' Families Foundation at the 15 July Martyrs' Monument.
Speaking here, Göktaş said that they came together on the 10th anniversary of the coup attempt of the treason network FETO, which targeted the children of the country and the future of the nation.
Stating that the hearts that brought the dark night to dawn and the hands that wrote heroic epics at the expense of their lives are together to keep alive the cherished memory, Minister Göktaş said, "We have not forgotten our heroes who stood up for their will in the squares on July 15 and shielded their chests against tanks and bullets, and we will never let them forget." he said.
"We wrote an epic of resistance in Türkiye, unprecedented in the world"
Minister Göktaş emphasized that July 15 was a heroic epic in itself.
Göktaş pointed out that those who set their sights on Türkiye's independence and the future of the nation, and the dark forces with covert ambitions, did not take anything into account that night, and said:
"Those who made these lands our homeland left us the legacy of resistance and resurrection. They did not hold back even one step against the forces that tried to determine the direction of Anatolia, no matter what the cost. July 15 was the date that once again engraved this truth in memory. This date did not only remain within our borders, its effects echoed all over the world. We wrote an epic of resistance in Türkiye that is unprecedented in the world. What our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said "The trap set by the FETO leader was destroyed by our nation's upright stance, brave stance and heroic resistance on the night of July 15."
Minister Göktaş stated that 10 years have not let us forget that night and said, "From that day to today, our nation has always kept the spirit of July 15 alive with its foresight and wisdom. Behind this spirit was the courage of our 253 martyrs who sacrificed themselves for the sake of the country. There was a tough struggle of our 2 thousand 737 heroes who reached the rank of veteran. Our nation who flocked to the squares had the will. It is our duty to keep their memory alive. Because they are only one "He did not write an epic. He protected our will for independence, our history of democracy, and the future of our Turkey. That is why we must engrave the spirit of July 15 in our national memory, engrave it in the hearts of our children, and move forward with this spirit." he said.
"We carry the spirit of July 15 to the future"
Stating that, as the Ministry, they are trying to make this understanding prevalent all over Türkiye, Minister Göktaş stated that they are expanding social services that will increase the welfare of martyrs' relatives and veterans.
Minister Göktaş stated that they made household visits in 81 provinces and continued as follows:
"We consider it a national responsibility to show our loyalty to our martyrs' families and veterans. We remember them not just for one day like some, we always remember them and always stand by them. I truly condemn those who use this process as an opportunity. We see and know those who make political recruitment through the pain of our beloved martyrs and veterans. This nation also knows and sees. We will never give them the opportunity. Today, as yesterday, under the leadership of our President, we have always protected the rights of our martyrs' relatives and veterans, and have always been with them. "We were there, we promised that we will continue to be with them. No one should doubt this, because we know it is a national responsibility to show our loyalty to our martyrs' families and veterans."
Göktaş stated that, as the Ministry, they brought together the families of martyrs and heroic veterans with young people through 'Homeland and Heroism Meetings' and said, "We are working to ensure that the children of this land are inspired by the heroes who keep these lands alive. In this way, we are building new bridges of hearts and carrying the spirit of July 15 to the future." he said.
Stating that they will continue to develop services for relatives of martyrs and veterans with new policies and activities in the Decade of Family and Population, Minister Göktaş said, "In line with our goal of a terrorism-free Turkey, we will build a future where a climate of brotherhood is maintained in every corner." he said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, "Our 15 July martyrs will always be remembered fondly. They will hold a special place in the hearts of this nation, and will be remembered with prayers, gratitude and mercy." Recalling his words, Minister Göktaş said, "We are the ones who will give life to these words. Just as our National Anthem is engraved in our minds. We will remember with gratitude those who used their bodies as a shield and those who said stop to the shameless raids. We will carry in our honor those who did not silence the call to prayer above our eternal homeland. And together we will keep alive the cherished memory of the martyrs under the ground." he said.
Commemorating the martyrs with mercy and expressing his gratitude to the veterans, Göktaş said, "I respectfully salute my brothers who engraved the July 15 epic in our history and showed the whole world who has the sole say in these lands." he said.