The Presidency’s Director of Communications Prof. Fahrettin Altun gave an interview to the Daily Sabah regarding the “new reform era” announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
What are the main codes, motivations and goals of the new reform era?
We must read this period as a continuation of the rise in all fields of Turkey that has been marching under the leadership of our President since 2002. We are, therefore, in a continuous process of development, progress and growth. We have been going through a very valuable 18-year period in which our President’s political movement and cadres achieved significant success. No doubt, significant steps were taken for Turkey to be more active in the region and international arena, for Turkey’s democratisation and the promotion of the people’s welfare. These achievements naturally raised the standards and criteria in Turkey as well as expectations. Being aware of this, our President is constantly working to set a higher standard for democracy, welfare and national security. Since he knows best that there is no stagnation in the nature of development and that, dynamic policies are required along with innovation and development. Even those who criticize our President in the most brutal way today are only able to compare the political party he leads and its policies with the previous period of the same party. It is, therefore, inevitable that at any point where the bar is raised, there will be expectations, developments and shifts in the political arena. When you look at his political life, you will notice that our President’s most important principles are constant renewal, progressive change and development. We have all rather closely witnessed the fact that he is a statesman who understands and manages these reform processes best. We have gained vital victories in steps toward democratisation, EU reforms, constitutional amendments and the struggle against tutelage with the power of the nation. Quite simply put, our goal is to carry the country to a future of prosperity, freedom and security. These were the goals of our President when he first set out. Not giving up on these goals even for a moment stands before us as a fact which proves that change and development are continuous. As a result, a more prosperous and a new era of reform for a more democratic Turkey is now underway.
With regard to the dilemma of freedom and security, what kind of balance will Turkey seek to achieve in the new era between these two notions?
We know, under our President's leadership, that there have been many firsts in Turkey.
Which one should I mention? Turkey has put into practice its most liberal policies in this period. It was governments led by our President that abolished disgraceful crimes such as torture or returned the assets of religious minorities as well as of foundations after years. Progressivist steps in the fight against discrimination and on women’s rights were also part of these proud achievements. Similarly, the struggle against security problems faced by Turkey is also apparent. In the past few years, Turkey has fought three dangerous, brutal and insidious terrorist organisations. On the one hand, while conducting military operations to protect our land borders, on the other hand, we have also taken surprising measures to preserve our maritime borders, known as the “Blue Homeland”. In addition, we have accomplished rare achievements in the field of human security. Turkey has provided security for millions of refugees. Turkey has become the leading country in humanitarian aid.
We have never seen the notions of consolidating freedoms and providing security as a dilemma. For us, freedom and security are interdependent and indispensable situations and concepts. Depriving people of their freedoms for the sake of the state’s security neither provides safety nor does it prove sustainable. Therefore, we have never seen these notions as a dilemma but principles that complement each other. The constant emphasis of our President on justice is in fact the key to this. We, therefore, put great emphasis on justice and judicial reform.
We have a realistic view of the world. We are aware that in the future, the terrorist organisations that threatened Turkey in the past will appear under other names in other ways. After all, terrorism is a strategy, and we do not know which group will take hold of this ominous weapon and when. However, we strive to stay one step ahead of them. We know that the target of terrorism is not just our lives but also our freedoms. We are therefore seeking to protect our freedoms, much like our own lives. We will continue to follow this logic and approach in the future.
Our security forces continue their heroic struggle against these threats. Our defence industry has achieved successes that we could not have imagined twenty years ago. We do not do this just to fight terrorism or to instil fear and discourage opponents. Part of the nation’s security is the freedom of the people and the rule of law. It is the national will. Everyone in Turkey is now aware of what would happen in the event that these terrorist organisations achieve their goals. We saw the rehearsal of the totalitarian regime that the PKK tried to establish in Syria, representing imperialist powers and bearing a Marxist-Leninist character. Similarly, the brutal and savage structure that DAESH tried to create is known by everybody. We also know that FETO would have turned Turkey into an autocratic junta regime if the July 15 coup attempt would have been successful. The struggle of our President, security forces and our people against these terrorist organisations is not just about the security of life, but also about our freedoms. And we do this without neglecting justice.
What messages are prioritised for internal and external public opinion in this process? What kind of response will be given through the reforms to the criticisms made concerning these chapters?
First of all, with regard to criticisms from abroad, the addressees shall either respond according to the source of the criticism or provide information. Unfortunately, there has been a smear campaign against Turkey taking place in some countries’ mainstream media in recent years. This unusual situation should be read as a joint result of several intersecting developments. First of all, the post-truth era, also called post-truth, is a period in which disinformation and information pollution play an active role and perceptions override facts. During this period, we are aware of their impact on Turkey, and we continue to fight these lies and false news articles. Another feature of post-truth is that it is temporary, namely, it is defeated by the truth in time. There were some who were making false news as "Turkey engages in genocide in Syria" in 2019. Today, nobody remembers them. Secondly, the fact that Turkey has an active foreign policy today began to bother some countries in their comfort zones which they had built. And these countries began to fuel anti-Turkey ideology through various lobbies. A great proportion of the criticism against Turkey have spread from these two sources. Turkey continues to struggle with these groups through public diplomacy instruments. We put forward truth against lies, our sincerity and influence against lobbies. Surely, we are also in contact with some critics, whose sincerity we trust, as an aspect of public diplomacy. We know that public diplomacy is a two-way bridge. We inform them about some issues and contribute to shedding light on the issues that remain in the dark and are a source of criticism. We evaluate these criticisms and try to do what is necessary, when required.
Turkey, especially after the July 15 treacherous coup attempt, has tried to preserve the people’s safety, state’s security through the principles of justice and democracy. At the same time, it has fought against the PKK and DAESH. During this process, both FETO members and the extensions of YPG-PKK have launched black propaganda campaigns against Turkey. For the success of this campaign, the countries hostile to Turkey have loosened the purse-strings in the foreign capitals. Turkey has kept sensitivity about the freedom at the highest level during this period, established commissions and exerted efforts to run the justice system effectively. In this period, we have given up on neither democracy nor justice. We see democracy as a process that requires continuous improvement. This process will never end. We are working to build a system that will protect the freedoms by introducing new reforms whenever new developments pose new threats to freedoms. This is a system that we can bequeath freedoms to our children.
What are the steps to be taken in the field of economy to ensure a more favourable and predictable investment area for foreign and domestic investors in Turkey? Is there a date/projection to complete them?
The economy will be one of the pillars of the economic reform process, just like law. The important point here is to remember some facts. The Turkish economy did not undergo a major crisis because the right decisions and steps were taken in a period when the world was experiencing challenges during the pandemic. After all, we are talking about a pandemic affecting the world economy in general and causing big crises in the developed and developing economies. While the most affected sectors are tourism and service sectors in the world, Turkey has been ambitious and powerful in those areas. In the next period, we are preparing for the post-COVID-19 world by taking the necessary measures. At a time when the geo-economy is gaining more importance, we are at the heart of many economic activities from trade routes to energy lines. In this period, the quality of life and welfare of our people will be among our main priorities. For sure, as our President said, some harsh decisions may have to be made in this period, but our ultimate goal is to create a prosperous society after all these decisions. The fight against inflation will be an important means in this process. Besides, increasing foreign trade exports are among our most vital targets. The government has taken the necessary steps to make attractive investments at a time especially when the world’s supply chains are reshaped. As a result of this, we will see an increase in export figures in the upcoming period. This is also important for employment. We have a young and dynamic population. We want this population to enter the post-COVID world with the necessary professional and sectoral preparations. Additionally, the steps taken in the field of energy and increasingly on-going energy explorations in the Black Sea will save the budget and foreign trade volume from a significant burden. The Central Bank will continue to reassure the money markets in this period. We will continue structural reforms at full speed. We expect a more balanced and rational monetary policy to be adopted through which investors are not overwhelmed by the interest rates, as our President said.
What will be the course of the relations with the EU in this period?
The EU process is a process that our President has attached great importance to since the first day. Thus, there have been significant developments regarding the EU since 2002. The most remarkable reform packages have been adopted during these periods. In the past, some were constantly worried about missing the EU train. In fact, we have never given up on our determination about the EU. The EU train faltered for a while. They started to develop an indecisive attitude and inconsistent policies toward Turkey. Following internal rifts within Europe, Brexit, EU constitution discussions, increasing xenophobia, and far-right movements, the accession process was disrupted, creating disappointment among a segment of the Turkish people. However, this process has also shown that Turkey is a sine qua non for the EU. Before being a member, Turkey has become an exemplary country for the EU regarding its humanitarian and moral approach to the refugee issue, its struggle against terrorist organisations without discrimination and by upholding democratic principles in a consistent manner anywhere in the world. The number of those who regard Turkey's membership as a sine qua non began to increase both for EU’s geopolitical presence and multicultural future. After demonstrating our determination for EU membership for decades and our President's messages last week, it is now the EU's turn to show goodwill. Some news concerning the Eastern Mediterranean and sanctions are risky developments from the standpoint of the interests of Turkey and the EU, especially during this critical period. While the EU is significant for Turkey's strategic objectives, Turkey is also equally important for the EU's security and future. When some leaders try to use Turkey for their domestic political manoeuvres and this is not accepted even in those countries, it should never be approved in the EU. Without discriminating and in contemplation of a common future, from now on, the EU has to overcome its impasse regarding Turkey in the light of our long-term common interests. The next greatest breakthrough for the EU economy, politics, and foreign policy will be Turkey's full membership. We are ready for this.