Democracy and National Unity Day established in Turkey

Chisinau, 15 July /MOLDPRES/ - The authorities of Turkey have established a new official holiday, Democracy and National Unity Day. The event will be annually marked on 15 July and is meant to “honour the memory of the Turkish citizens who died while defending democracy during a coup d’etat attempt on the night to 15 July 2016,” according to a press release issued by the Turkish Embassy in Chisinau.   

On the occasion of the newly set holiday, Prime Minister of Turkey Binali Yildirim gave an interview with the international press.  

The official said that the holiday “is the first anniversary of the great victory of the democracy.”

“One year has passed since the date of the defeat by Turkey of the bloodiest terrorist attack from its history. This year, Turkey proved its resistance and capacity to recover. On the night to 15 July 2016, we faced a true attack against the state, we faced criminals who bombarded the parliament and razed to the earth the headquarters of the special police units. They fired shots to civilians and made over 250 victims, with another 2,000 Turks injured. Yet, while making a retrospective of those events, we ascertain the courage and resolution of the Turkish nation. Our citizens took to streets against the coupists and TV channels continued spreading news despite the threats and pressure. The Turkish people became a single whole. The Turkish nation proved that it defends and will defend the democracy,” Yildirim said.      

The Turkish PM noted that, following the event from 16 July 2016, the leadership of Turkey had gained a new legitimacy, the one of the sustained democracy.  

“With the easy conscience, we passed this ordeal of the democracy. The Turkish nation proved to the entire world that democracy is a phenomenon which is not won easily, but it is worth for one to sacrifice his/her life in the name of democracy. The first thing we must ensure is taking all measures to rule out the repeating of such a provocation. We make efforts to ensure the carrying out of this difficult process within the limits of the constitutional order. The Turkish democracy was targeted, but it was victorious,” the official said.      

Binali Yildirim specified also a string of details about the organization which attacked the institutions and leadership of the Turkish state. “The evidence we have shows the following: we face a structure led by Fetullah Gülen, who created a perverted and esoteric faith system. The schools and hostels of this organization worked as centres for luring militants. The members of the organization educated in these institutions infiltrated in the state bodies and organized the coup d’etat,” the Turkish prime minister added.  

On the night to 15 July 2016, Turkey faced a coup d’etat attempt which resulted in 250 people dead and 2,000 wounded. At that time, thousands of citizens took to streets, in order to prevent the occupation of the state structures.

(Reporter A. Zara, editor L. Alcaza)