Politicians mark sixth anniversary of July 15 coup attempt

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Government and party officials have marked the sixth anniversary of the coup attempt on July 15, 2016, commemorating the 251 people who were killed during the attempt.

President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a video message that July 15 was important, especially because it was the first time that "our nation resisted a coup, which it has been subjected to throughout its history."

Since then, the government has taken all measures for Turkey not to face a coup threat again, according to Erdoğan.

"In terms of our democracy proving itself and the power of the national will being understood without hesitation, Turkey's history will be examined in two periods: before July 15 and after July 15," the president remarked.

Also mentioning the economic crisis, Erdoğan said, "We have not and will not give consent to surrender this country through the economy."

The inflation is not only Turkey's but the entire world's problem due to the increase in global commodity prices, especially in energy prices, he said.

Minister of Justice Bekir Bozdağ said the age of coups is over in Turkey. "From now on, treacherous cowards who will intend or attempt a coup will always find the Turkish people against them," he wrote.

"Neither a coup nor a dictator"

Speaking in front of the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality's "wall of martyrs" in Fatih, Mayor ekrem İmamoğlu said what happened on July 15 "will never be forgotten."

Canan Kaftancıoğlu, the İstanbul head of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) who was recently banned from politics, quoted a tweet she posted during the coup attempt, where she said, "Neither a coup nor a dictator."

Describing July 15 as "one of the most tragic days that these lands have seen," Kaftancıoğlu said those who caused the coup attempt should be held accountable before the law to "fulfill our responsibility to our 251 citizens."

Davutoğlu and Babacan

Former PM Ahmet Davutoğlu and former Deputy PM Ali Babacan, who now lead two splinter parties from Erdoğan's AKP, also commemorated the losses.

"July 15 is the name of the epic that this precious nation wrote with its blood and lives," Davutoğlu wrote on Twitter.

Babacan wrote, "The bloody coup attempt of 15 July was suppressed by the historic resistance of our people. Bringing full democracy to our country is what we owe that great resistance." (HA/VK)