Our Directorate organised a panel titled "July 15: Türkiye's Victory of Democracy" in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.
Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun sent a video message to the panel, which was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Hüseyin Alptekin from the National Defence University and featured panellists Murat Tınas (PhD) from the Turkish National Police Academy, Perko Matovic from the Centre for National Policy, and Predrag Rajic, Advisor to the Serbian Minister of Defence.
Speaking at the opening of the panel, Ambassador Hami Aksoy of Türkiye to Belgrade highlighted that seven years have passed since the bloody coup attempt organised by the Fethullahist Terrorist Organisation (FETO), adding, "The aim of the attempted coup was to introduce a radical conservative regime. FETO sought to seize control of strategic locations like the Bosphorus Bridge."
Aksoy emphasised that on the evening of July 15, thousands of people took to the streets to defend their homeland and that 251 innocent civilians were martyred.
Tınas described how FETO had evolved, expanded, and infiltrated institutions over the years and shared the Turkish National Police Academy's reports.
Tınas stated that the coup attempt failed thanks to national defence, adding, "Unfortunately, FETO continues to conduct its activities. We must fully comprehend the intentions of this terrorist organisation. In this regard, the Police Academy organises workshops and conferences.
Tınas stressed that FETO poses an international threat and warned the audience that fugitive FETO ringleader Fetullah Gülen is regarded as a "holy person."
"Erdoğan is a strong leader who defends his nation"
Matovic stated that he witnessed what FETO terrorists did in Türkiye and emphasised that President Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia was one of the first world leaders to contact President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the night of the attempted coup to express his support.
Matovic stated that Serbia is one of the nations that understands Türkiye, adding, "Erdoğan is a strong leader who defended his nation against the coup attempt. Türkiye is a global power, not a regional one."
Further, Rajic emphasised that what happened in Türkiye holds significance for the entire democratic world, stating, "Such experiences are crucial for all of us. That night, Serbia demonstrated its opposition to undemocratic and violent acts."
Additionally, within the panel's scope, an exhibition depicting the events of July 15 as photographed by Anadolu Agency was opened.
