As part of the 10th anniversary of July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day, a program with the theme "National Will and Democratic Resistance: July 15 in its 10th Anniversary" was organized in Bern, the capital of Switzerland.
In the program organized by the Presidency Directorate of Communications, in cooperation with the Turkish Embassy in Bern, with the theme "National Will and Democratic Resistance: July 15 in its 10th Anniversary", the determined stance of the Turkish nation to protect democratic legitimacy and constitutional order was explained.
Speaking at the program attended by Director of Communications Burhanettin Duran via video message, Türkiye's Ambassador to Bern, Şebnem İncesu, said that this program, organized on the 10th anniversary of the failed coup attempt targeting the will of the nation, democracy, constitutional order, the elected president and the government, aims to create a common memory ground beyond commemoration, to strengthen social memory and to reinforce the ideal of a stronger future in the light of lessons learned from the past.
Reminding that Türkiye has faced various challenges in the process of protecting and strengthening its democratic order throughout its political history, İncesu said, "These challenges have contributed to the state of democracy awareness and culture at the social and institutional level. The July 15 coup attempt, one of the most severe attacks on democracy in the recent history of our country, has been a turning point in terms of preserving democratic legitimacy, revealing the will of the nation and ensuring the continuity of state institutions." he said.
İncesu pointed out that the resistance against the coup attempt is an example to be evaluated not only in terms of its place in Türkiye's political history, but also in terms of universal principles regarding the protection of democratic legitimacy and order on the basis of the will of the nation, and said, "The motto 'Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the nation' emphasizes that the will of the nation is above all kinds of tutelage and that those who exercise the authority to govern receive their legitimacy from the nation. This motto was strongly confirmed on the night of July 15." he said.
Stating that the fight against FETO is not over, İncesu said, "Although 10 years have passed since the July 15 coup attempt, new members of the organization are being caught and extensions of the organization are being exposed through the operations of the police units. Having lost its main structure in our country, FETO is trying to protect its presence in education and other sectors abroad with its financial resources in Western countries. It is carrying out disinformation and provocation activities through the press and social media." he said.
İncesu stated that FETO poses a threat to every country in which it operates, and noted that it is of great importance to stay away from the negative effects of the organization.
"It is a serious mistake to see FETO as a threat limited only to Türkiye."
AK Party Istanbul Deputy Sena Nur Çelik, who spoke at the panel held within the scope of the program, emphasized that democracy was defended under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the night of July 15, and said, "I was also in the parliament that night. All the people, young and old, stood against the treacherous coup attempt. We stood in front of the tanks. Civilians were opened fire on. However, the Turkish nation did not give up. They were ready to sacrifice their lives for Turkey." he said.
Reminding that the Turkish nation kept "democracy watches" during the nights following July 15, Çelik said, "It would be a serious mistake to see FETO as a threat limited only to Turkey. We call on countries to investigate FETO-related structures and cooperate on extradition requests." he said.
Former Swiss Ambassador to Ankara Jean Daniel Ruch also reminded that Türkiye hosted the NATO Summit last week and said, "Europe has a great interest in a strong, rich, democratic, stable and autonomous Türkiye. The NATO Summit once again reinforced the strategic importance of the country." he said.
Pointing out that Türkiye plays an important role in peace and stability in the region and in a wider range, Ruch said that the will Türkiye showed on the night of July 15 was very strong.
National Defense University Lecturer Assoc. Dr. Murat Yiğit gave information about Türkiye's political history and emphasized that the night of July 15 showed how important the will of the nation is.
Within the scope of the program, a video titled "15 July Victory is Ours, Our Will is Ours" was also shown.