President Erdoğan: A terror-free Türkiye will unlock a terror-free zone

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, "The sacrifices of our martyrs have never been in vain, and they will never be. The struggles of our veterans have never been in vain, and they will never be. The terror-free Turkey we are building step by step will, God willing, be their work. As our country frees itself from the half-century-long yoke of terror, it will rise in every field; a brand new era will begin in the economy, defense, development, security, domestic and foreign policy. A terror-free Türkiye will unlock the path to a terror-free region."

The ceremony, held in the Parliamentary Hall of Honor, was attended by Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli, political party representatives, as well as relatives of martyrs and veterans. A moment of silence was observed for the martyrs, and the Turkish National Anthem was sung. Following the Quranic recitation, prayers were offered. A video about the coup attempt was then watched.

'THAT NIGHT, PRAYERS WERE MADE FOR US'

Speaking at the ceremony, President Erdoğan offered his condolences to the martyrs of July 15th and offered his condolences to the veterans. He said, "I also extend my gratitude to our 7 million citizens abroad who prayed for us that night, their hands on their hearts, and who expressed their strong reactions wherever they were. I also extend my gratitude to our friends and brothers who support us across our heartland, who are concerned about Turkey and the Turkish nation. The calls to prayer recited in Istanbul and the salahs rising in Bursa echoed in Skopje, Baku, and Cairo. Thousands of kilometers away, from Pakistan to Indonesia, from Bosnia to Somalia, hands were raised to the heavens for Türkiye's safety and liberation. Prayers were offered for us. Qurans were recited for us. Our friends and brothers shared in our resistance with their prayers, and in our victory with their tears. The light of this blessed land, whose horizon and conscience extend to every corner of the world, illuminated different corners of the earth. That night, we once again attained the consciousness of being a nation. That night, we saw once again what it means to be an Ummah."

'THIS NATION HAS WRITTEN A GLORY EPIC'

President Erdoğan stated that the truth that Türkiye is greater than Türkiye was understood once again very strongly on the night of July 15th, and said, "These lands, watered with the blood of martyrs for centuries, are the lands where epics that shaped history were written. With its vast experience and strong faith, this nation has been a nation that has given hope to the oppressed and fear to its enemies for a thousand years. After Çanakkale and the national struggle, that nation wrote a glorious epic on the night of July 15th, with its life, blood, and all its being, that will be remembered with pride until the apocalypse. This epic is the victory of bare hands against tanks, planes, and bombs. This epic is the victory of brave people whose roots are in these lands over the mankurts who sold their homeland along with their souls. This epic is the latest example of how we are great, strong, alive, powerful, and invincible when we stand together as a nation. After giving his last breath 60 thousand kilometers away, stateless, he was thrown into a ditch in a manner befitting his nature." "The trap set by the FETÖ leader was shattered on the night of July 15th by our nation's upright stance, courageous stance, and heroic resistance. The dirty swamp into which FETÖ members attempted to drag our country was drained forever by the resolute struggle waged that night until dawn. Our nation, shielding itself from bullets, not only thwarted the treacherous coup but also repelled an invasion attempt," he said.

"THE BETRAYAL WE HAVE SUFFERED IS UNLIKE ANYTHING"

Stating that the night of July 15th was one of the most critical turning points in the history of our state and nation's challenging test, Erdoğan said, "The great betrayal we suffered that night has no equal in our history. July 15th served as a litmus test for our nation. To put it in the words of our ancestors, that night, its black and white became clear at the gate. While on one side, our nation heroically resisted tanks, planes, and bullets, on the other, some were saying, 'It was already too late.' While our martyrs, veterans, and the true sons of this nation did not allow terrorists dressed in military uniforms to pass, some were calling this blessed resistance a 'theater,' a 'game,' a 'scenario,' and immorally slandering them as a 'controlled coup.' Some were following a 'wait and see' strategy, sipping the coffees placed in front of them in safe houses. We experienced all of this and much more that night. We saw those who rushed to the squares and those who ran to the ATMs with their bare hands. We saw, experienced, and firsthand witnessed those who resisted the coup and applauded the putschists until their hands exploded, those who rushed forward, saying, "Today is the day to defend the homeland," and those who lay in wait, calculating who would win. All of these have been etched into our nation's memory, never to be erased. Those who applauded the coup, those who tried to cast a shadow over the glorious epic written on July 15th, those who slandered the nation's victory, and those who positioned themselves according to the course of events, rest assured that they will always be remembered with shame. Similarly, the names of those who defended the national will here, under this sublime roof, that night have been engraved in golden letters in the hearts of our nation.

'A BRAND NEW ERA WILL BEGIN'

President Erdoğan said, "The sacrifices of our martyrs have never been in vain, and they never will be. The struggles of our veterans have never been in vain, and they never will be. The terror-free Turkey we are building step by step will, God willing, be their legacy. As our country shakes off the half-century-long yoke of terror, it will rise in every field; a brand new era will begin in the economy, defense, development, security, domestic, and foreign policy. A terror-free Turkey will unlock the process leading to a terror-free region. The construction of Turkey's century will accelerate even further. In the multipolar world, Turkey will, God willing, take its rightful place as a new pole. We never, ever doubt this. Because we trust in our nation. We trust in our eternal brotherhood. We have complete confidence in the problem-solving capacity of our democracy. I wholeheartedly believe that the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, just as it did on the night of July 15th, will put aside all differences and, in solidarity, provide strong support to our country's struggle to be free of terror."

'IT IS A TREASON PREPARED OVER YEARS'

Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Numan Kurtulmuş, stated that Türkiye, as a state and nation, had learned great lessons from the July 15 coup attempt, saying, “Above all, the betrayal that was hidden within the state before July 15 and committed by those loyal to a specific center was not a betrayal that emerged by chance; it was one prepared over many years. After July 15, we are witnessing the restructuring of the state within the framework of competence, merit, and loyalty. We have made great strides in this regard, and after the purge, the doors of the state have been thrown wide open to the children of this nation, who accept no other loyalty than loyalty to the nation, who seek loyalty neither in dark lodges nor in false teachers. July 15 once again demonstrated the immense power of a community with a rule-based system, a strong sense of law and democracy. The common thread of all coup attempts and coups in Türkiye is that those who orchestrate these coups have a secret center and structure. The key to July 15 is not secrecy, but transparency. Transparency means not only accountability but also raising the standards of democracy.” "Another lesson we learned from July is that this nation can no longer have any business with those who rely on foreign powers and who rely on certain circles other than this nation, no matter how large their organization is," he said.

'THE TBMM IS OBLIGATED TO MAKE A COMPREHENSIVE CONSTITUTION'

Kurtulmuş noted that Türkiye has become a stronger state thanks to the lessons learned from the coup attempt, saying, "Furthermore, we are witnessing that the spirit of national unity and solidarity has become strongly present, established, and rooted in society after July 15th. Now, God willing, by taking the spirit of national unity and solidarity even further, we will ensure that Türkiye is a completely terror-free Turkey, a Türkiye where all terrorist organizations are left behind, where there are no weapons, and where peace and brotherhood reign supreme. Furthermore, with this lesson we learned from July 15th, along with the rise in the standards of democracy in Türkiye and the strengthening of peace and brotherhood, the Turkish Grand National Assembly is undoubtedly obligated to draft a new, modern, inclusive, democratic, and encompassing constitution. Let us draft such a constitution that no one will ever again attempt to lord it over the nation with the power they do not derive from the constitution. Let us raise the standards of democracy to such an extent that no one, regardless of their position or who they rely on, will even consider staging a coup. Thankfully, we have made great progress." I see it with pride," he said.

Following the commemoration ceremony, President Erdoğan, Turkish Grand National Assembly Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli, Grand Unity Party Chairman Mustafa Destici, and former Prime Minister Tansu Çiler met for a conversation. Erdoğan then left the parliament.

DHA

Reporter: News Center