Turkey to mark first anniversary of coup attempt in week-long events

ANKARA

Turkey is set to host several commemoration events between July 11 and 16 across the country to mark the first anniversary of the July 15, 2016, coup attempt. 

“Our fundamental emphasis at the events will be to commemorate our martyrs, who took to the streets for their homeland, freedom, liberty and democracy, to fulfill all the needs of our veterans and to make the treacherous coup attempt, which we have experienced as a whole nation, to be remembered,” Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın said on July 3. 

He said during the week, all 81 provinces in Turkey will host commemoration events, but the majority of the activities will be concentrated in Istanbul and Ankara. 

“Some of the events in Istanbul and Ankara will be attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, some will be attended by Parliament Speaker İsmail Kahraman, while some will be attended by Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım and other ministers,” he added. 

Kalın also said symposiums, meetings and visits will take place during the week, and there will be more events as July 15 approaches. 

“There will be a special session in parliament, which will be attended by our president,” he said. 

“Monuments exclusively built for the commemoration of July 15 will be launched in Istanbul and Ankara. As you may know, the construction of these monuments is almost complete, and with God’s will, they will be ready on July 15. One of the monuments in Ankara will be just next to the Presidential Palace and another one in Istanbul will be on the Anatolian side,” Kalın said. 


Erdoğan to attend ‘democracy watch’

Erdoğan is slated to launch a day-long “democracy watch” event on July 15, similar to those held for two months after the coup attempt last year.  

“There will be democracy watches upon a call by the president. He will also attend them,” Kalın said, adding that mass participation in all the events will be encouraged. 

Kalın stressed on the importance Turkish authorities gave to convey the graveness of the coup attempt to foreign countries, adding that foreign missions of Turkey will also hold commemoration events. 


Kılıçdaroğlu’s ‘justice march’

Asked about the “justice march” led by main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Kalın said “the people’s primary agenda should be to keep the heroism spirit of the July 15 alive.”

“It is the primary agenda of the people, and we will continue to proceed with this agenda until July 15 and 16,” he said. 

Speaking about Kılıçdaroğlu’s earlier comments on possible provocations that could happen in the march toward Istanbul, Kalın said “necessary measures have been taken.”

“We never wish for something like this, nor will we tolerate it,” he added.