Erdogan: Coup attempt a milestone in Turkey’s history

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that “Turkey’s history is being sorted out in two stages before July 15, 2016 and beyond”, referring to the failed coup attempt.

This came in a letter published by Turkish President Erdogan on Friday on the occasion of the “Day of Democracy and National Unity” on July 15, during which the country witnessed a failed coup attempt in 2016.

”The importance of this day is that it symbolizes the first glorious resistance our people have put up against the coups they have been subjected to throughout history”, he said.

He pointed out that his country “responded appropriately to the traitors of the Gülen organization (the group of the local terrorist-designated cleric Fethullah Gülen) and their masters (he did not name them) by moving forward and not withdrawing and backing backwards”.

The Turkish President said that 252 citizens were killed in the fight against this attempt, expressing his “deep thanks to everyone who participated in confronting traitors”.

“The significance of this day is that it symbolizes the first glorious resistance our people have put up against the coups they have been subjected to throughout history”, he said.

“The Turkish people defended their country and democracy in a mythical way, and proved to the friend and enemy that they will not kneel down and that Turkey will never be held captive”, he said.

After the attempted coup d’état, his country “resorted to all legal and administrative means to uproot traitors and took all necessary measures to prevent the repetition of such a threat”, he said.

Erdogan said that his country “declared July 15 as the Day of Democracy and National Unity, with the aim of immortalizing the popular epic during the struggle against the coup with letters of gold”.

“Turkish history is now classified in two stages in terms of democracy and national will, namely before July 15th and beyond”, he said.

Turkey celebrates the day every year in commemoration of the thwarted coup attempt, which Ankara says was planned and carried out by “elements of the Gülen terrorist organization”.

Turkey is holding several events across the country, during which politicians are keen to make speeches to stress the importance of democracy and unity among the people.