Director of Communications Prof. Fahrettin Altun: “The Directorate of Communications will stand by you on every platform with all institutions and organizations on the matters of improving the rights of the press members. Have no doubt. We are the ones who know exactly how you work under challenging conditions.”
Presidency’s Directorate of Communications organized a workshop to identify the problems faced by the press members while conducting their duties, to offer solutions, and to improve the rights of employees in the sector.
The “Workshop on the Improvement of the Rights of the Press Members” brought together many people in the media sector ranging from newspapers to television, radio to the internet.
A wide range of participants, from reporters to cameramen, photojournalists to editors-in-chief, industry associations to unions, social security experts to representatives of the relevant public institutions and academics, discussed in detail the suggestions for the improvement of the rights of the press members and the solution to their problems at the workshop carried out via videoconference.
In his opening speech of the workshop, Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun stated that they had come together to discuss solutions to the problems faced by the press members and to improve their rights.
Pointing out that the meeting held on the fourth anniversary of the epic of July 15 had another meaning, Altun said, “On this occasion, I would like to wish Allah’s mercy upon our martyrs and happy and peaceful life to our veterans. I commemorate the press members who were injured or martyred that day with respect and gratitude.”
“The epic of July 15 was the sum and substance of our struggles”
Altun stated that even though not much time had passed since the nation’s victory over the July 15 coup and the invasion attempt, they had come a long way in understanding this historical event and the great incident, and made the following remarks:
“Because the epic struggle that we exhibited that day was the sum and substance of the struggles that we have demonstrated against the attacks against our independence, our sovereignty, our unity and our health. We saw the most refined and purest form of national consciousness that day, on the night of July 15, 2016. We know very well that the history of democracy in Turkey is the history of our nation’s struggle against tutelage. In fact, there was only one reason for this struggle. The nation simply imagined a Turkey governed by its own will. Therefore, this nation always fought for independence and democracy from May 27 to March 12, September 12 to February 28, April 27 to July 15. This struggle between the nation and the tutelage took on a completely different dimension on July 15. Our nation, together with its leader, saved our country from a vile invasion attempt with their bare hands. This nation, which saved our parliament, Presidential Complex and its institutions, gave a very clear message to the world: ‘No one can govern this country except us, we will not allow it.’ The will of the nation said this. Our President’s statement, ‘So far in my life, I have never recognized any power over the power of the people,’ is the summary of our political history in this sense. This is a clear continuation of the deceased Menderes’ principle of “Enough! It is the nation’s turn to speak.”
“We don't have a state that would forgive the wretched terrorists, just as there are no remorseful coup plotters.”
Fahrettin Altun stressed that the determined stance in the fight against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) was getting stronger every day, and stated the following:
“As a result of the dissolution of the organization, the emergence of new cells and obtaining of crypto information about the organization, the state institutions have received highly important achievements against the organization. With the sensitivity of our nation, this organization will suffer more losses day by day and will eventually disappear in the dirtiest pages of history. As we have always said, we will capture them tightly wherever they are in the world and bring them to justice. We will face with FETO in the name of the nation. The illusion that our state and institutions are in weakness even a little bit in the fight against FETO is just a disinformation that will serve into the hands of the organization. Against a lowly and insidious terrorist organization that has tried to kill our President, destroy the will of the nation, eliminate the parliament and provoke the nation’s army against the nation, there is no and cannot be room for the slightest mercy or indulgence in the eye of the state or the nation. No individual of this nation, any part of this state will have the slightest softening, languor or suspicion about combatting the FETO. And they cannot. Those who expect it to happen will wait more! None of us will have a moment of peace without exterminating the organization to the smallest part. By the way, I need to mention this as well. Neither do the coup plotters regret nor does our state forgive these lowly terrorists. No one should dare to build castles in the air! No one should dare to ignore our nation's consciousness, conscience and foresight! I would like to remind them of the fact that the last time they ignored, they had to face millions of people who stopped the invasion and the coup with their hands and bodies. And of course, no one should dare to test the power, memory, resolution for struggle, determination and will of the state and the coordination between institutions! No one can ignore how we fight against FETO, PKK/YPG, DAESH and other terrorist organizations both within the country and across the border. They should not forget how we have been fighting firmly not only against them but also against the global power centers that direct and channel them. As our President said, let them know that we are now fighting against puppeteers, not with the puppets! July 15 is the victory of the nation. July 15 is the day when this country declared the whole world once again that this nation is a nation with hearts full of faith.”
“We will convey the spirit of July 15 to the future”
Prof. Altun stated that the Directorate of Communications considered revealing the historical and social importance of July 15 and the true face of FETO as one of its most important duties.
Stating that they had been working to ensure the coordination of all events to be organized on the occasion of July 15 both in the country and abroad for the last two years in line with that purpose, Altun said, “With the instructions of our President, we help all our public institutions and organizations, universities and non-governmental organizations to hold the events of July 15 in coordination. By each passing year, we will exert greater effort to remember the spirit of July 15 in a stronger manner and convey it to the future. With great pleasure, I can say that there is an increasing interest in the sensitivity about the July 15 of the non-governmental organizations and universities in terms of quality and quantity both home and abroad. This is a situation raising our hope for the future, because the number of events within the scope of 'July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day' in 2019, which was approximately 1,500 at home and abroad, increased to 3,000 this year. However, as the Directorate of Communications, we have not only coordinated the July 15 events but also our directorate itself has organized many works and projects. All our efforts and our excitement are to declare July 15 to the whole world and future generations. For this purpose, we will work harder by the day and continue to be more productive.”
“Our mission is to be the strong voice of Turkey”
Stating that the Presidential Government System has been implemented as a historical step on the path towards the target of a “Great and Strong Turkey” and new achievement for the sake of democracy, Altun said that the Directorate of Communications, which was formed in that process and the framework of which was formed by President Erdoğan, has set out to strengthen the brand of Turkey, to render the communication between the state and the nation healthier, make contributions to the media sector on behalf of public and to establish the state’s institutional identity and also unity among institutions.
Altun further stated that the Directorate of Communications has also undertaken a mission to be the strong voice of the righteous and vigorous Turkey against unfair accusations, black propaganda campaigns, and information wars towards Turkey.
“In order to achieve these goals, we on the one hand face daily crises, problems and developments, while on the other, try to make the voice of our nation heard by our state, the voice of our state by our nation and the world through short, medium and long term strategic communication activities,” said Altun, adding, “Obviously, we are responsible for the coordination of such deep-rooted institutions as the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, Anadolu Agency and the Press Advertising Agency on behalf of our government, and we take substantial nourishment from their contributions.”
“We fight for nothing but the truth”
Stating that they would altogether take into consideration what could be done to resolve all sorts of problems encountered by the press sector and its honourable members through the “Workshop on the Improvement of the Rights of the Press Members,” Altun said, “I would like to particularly indicate that the Directorate of Communications is on your side in terms of the resolution of your problems.”
Director of Communications Altun made the following remarks:
“We are all aware that we are living in a compelling period in many ways. No matter how you name it, we are experiencing a period in which the truth, right, and reality is replaced by perceptions, manipulative knowledge, falsification, lies, and fake-news and which is filled with contradictions. There have been periods in history in which the reason, rationality and righteousness have been sanctified or ethical and moral breakdown has deepened. Nevertheless, today, we are experiencing an almost uncontrollable, messy, and a uniquely beyond-truth period due to the rapid transformation and development of technology. Every day, we all fight against false news, perception operations, distortions, and data-less analyses and use all our energy, to tell the truth. Contrary to popular belief, this problem is not only a problem of public institutions or government. This problem is not only the problem of Turkey. This problem has now become the common problem of many countries, especially the USA, European Union countries, and Russia, and even the large family of humanity. As a result, what we fight for is nothing but the ‘TRUTH.’ In many parts of the world, the advocates of truth have to work hard against the enemies of truth.
Truth is also the greatest power of Turkey and our President! Today, we are talking about a value, which is the hardest to defend and the most attacked. Nowadays, there are efforts aimed at establishing a world and media system in which fallacy, fake news, provocative and manipulative information, rumours, efforts towards building negative perception, operations of discredit, hate crimes, the rhetoric of violence and insult are more striking, more read and more “clicked” in digital media. This is exactly the point where you and our state struggle. We are fighting against an attack that is intended to be imposed on us and which banalizes, trivializes, discredits, and nullifies the truth and reality and tries to make it outdated. The only reason of disturbance created by Turkey and our President against the centres of global perception and disinformation is the fact that we are at the centre of this struggle.”
Expressing his belief in press members’ support for the truth in this struggle, Fahrettin Altun said, “Without doubt, upholding the truth should be the cause not only of the politicians and decision-makers of a country that they fight for but also of the media sector and press members. This is because the struggle we put up is not aimed at defending our own country only, but also at restoring people’s faith in the truth and ensuring that the truth regains its true value. However, we sadly observe that certain circles in our media are foreign-funded, prone to influences and channelization, and turn into a centre of operations against their own country by producing manipulative and provocative information targeted at Turkey’s development, its place in the hearts of other nations, diplomatic victories, robust stance against the unfair world system, and the support of our nation for our President. We also, unfortunately, observe that the said circles sometimes get involved in the process as a propaganda tool of the terrorist organizations and direct the media power they have as a weapon at the state and the nation. The concept of independent, indigenous, and national media becomes highly important in strategic terms at this point. We are speaking of a concept vitally important not only for our country alone but also for our region and world. I would like to call on these circles that also hold a marginal place in the media. Stop pursuing fifth column activities in this geography and this country, and be the fourth branch. Do not pursue enmity against democracy, but rather serve democracy!”
“We stand by the press members”
Emphasizing that the Directorate of Communications stood by the media workers and press members in Turkey, Altun said, “Every press member, who prioritizes and does not bear enmity against our country and nation and who does not work with foreign motives, is a stakeholder of ours whom we feel dutiful to serve. We will continue to stand by their side in the fight for the truth and say ‘Long live the truth!’.”
Pointing out that the media sector was indeed one of the most demanding sectors with its requirements, working conditions, and problems encountered, Altun said, “In fact, the dynamic changes in the sector bring along new problems. Have no doubt that the Directorate of Communications will always stand by you for the improvement of your rights on every platform where you meet all public institutions and organizations. We are the ones who know exactly how you work under challenging conditions. Our media sector has made significant efforts in the pandemic period to raise awareness and inform our nation more accurately. We will always remain indebted to you. When you are more productive and effective, it will make great contributions to our country in its advocacy of the truth and struggle for independence. I would like to remind you once again that we have a strong determination when it comes to maintaining our workshops, taking them to a further level in terms of quality and quantity, and working out solutions to our problems in a participative and democratic manner.”
Altun noted that special importance was attached to journalists in the Press Labour Law and their legal status was regulated by a separate law in addition to the Labour Law No. 4857.
Stating that the Law No. 5953 on the Regulation of the Relations between Media Employees and Their Employers had been in force, almost identical to its original, since 1952 and failed to provide solutions to today’s problems, Altun said, “Rest assured that the Directorate of Communications will put every effort in its power to carry the problems of the media sector into the agenda of our legislative body, our great Parliament.”
Noting that the developments in communication and information technologies brought changes in the economic organization of journalism as well as the structure and characteristics of the profession, Altun said, “The modus operandi for journalists performing their professions has changed with these emerging changes. Thanks to this workshop, the discussion topics will be the current problems such as promotion in the profession of journalism, wages, leaves, termination of contracts, and severance payment. It will be very valuable for the media sector to act in line with its country and nation and based on upholding the truth in our struggle for a robust, independent, and rightful Turkey under the leadership of our President. Your problems are our problems. I believe that the ideas and opinions voiced here will carry both the media sector and the rights of the press members further.”