13.07.2026 15:31
Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz made notable assessments in his speech at the symposium titled 'July 15 in Its Tenth Year'. President Yılmaz stated that the core issue targeted by FETÖ was essentially the nation itself and its will. Yılmaz said, "FETÖ is gone, but we must be very cautious about similar formations."
Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz attended the symposium titled 'July 15 in Its Tenth Year' organized by the SETA Foundation.
Speaking here, Yılmaz stated that democracies mature through the major trials they face, and that historical events etched in the collective memory of nations turn into powerful experiences that shape the future of states. He recalled that the FETÖ's treacherous coup attempt was one of the most comprehensive attacks targeting Turkey's democratic order.
"FETÖ'S TARGET IS THE NATION ITSELF"
Yılmaz, stating that the bombing of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Presidential Complex, and the attacks on security institutions reveal FETÖ's objectives, said, "Especially the GNAT and the Complex are very significant; we need to analyze this well. Even an enemy soldier would show a certain level of respect to the GNAT in war, but FETÖ targeted these two symbolic institutions. The main issue FETÖ put on its target board is actually the nation itself, its will and values. Therefore, the attack on the Parliament and the Complex is essentially an attack on the nation."
"FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR HISTORY OF COUPS..."
Vice President Yılmaz, noting that the historic stance of the nation under the leadership of President Erdoğan thwarted FETÖ's plans, stated, "As dark a night as July 15 was, the resistance against it is that great a light. For the first time in our history of coups, the nation stood against the coup, and the coup attempt was thwarted."
Yılmaz drew attention to the fact that international politics, media, and academia have not sufficiently evaluated the developments of July 15, saying, "Unfortunately, this epic of democracy was not seen from the beginning. We saw that it continued for a long time. This also needs to be analyzed separately. I leave it to everyone's judgment to think about what kind of attitude the world would have today if the same democratic resistance had been shown by a nation in Europe or another geography."
"WITH THE PURGE OF FETÖ..."
Yılmaz emphasized that in the 10 years following July 15, Turkey experienced a comprehensive restructuring and accounting period, and stressed that all state institutions drew necessary lessons from the situation and gained a strong capacity to respond to the changing security environment and new threats.
Also touching on the cross-border operations conducted immediately after the treacherous coup attempt, Yılmaz said, "At that time, some Western circles developed arguments like 'FETÖ members are being purged, institutions are weakening.' On the contrary, with the purge of FETÖ members, many institutions, especially our military, began to fulfill their real duties."
"WE MUST NOT BECOME COMPLACENT"
Yılmaz, stating that one of FETÖ's most important elements was placing a mortgage on people's minds, said, "Actually, with July 15, we fought not only for the independence of the state but also not to put our minds under certain mortgages. This is a much more fundamental situation. It is extremely valuable for people to interpret what is happening around them with their own will. There can be different interpretations and perspectives, but placing a mortgage on them is one of the greatest harms that can be done to a society. Thank God, Turkey has also gotten rid of this. I want to emphasize that we must not become complacent in this struggle. We must always remain vigilant against those who try to impose an embargo on our minds under different names and with different approaches."
"REMEMBERING IT CORRECTLY IS AS IMPORTANT AS REMEMBERING IT"
Vice President Yılmaz stated that remembering July 15 is as important as understanding and explaining it correctly. He noted that in today's world, where truth is distorted, information circulates rapidly, and disinformation becomes an increasingly effective tool, evaluating historical events on a solid ground has gained extra value.
"FETÖ IS GONE, BUT WE MUST BE CAREFUL ABOUT SIMILAR STRUCTURES"
Yılmaz also noted that keeping social memory alive is vital to prevent similar threats from re-emerging, stating, "FETÖ is gone, but we must be very careful about similar structures. I believe we have a very important responsibility in the international fight against FETÖ. We must definitely share this experience with friendly and brotherly countries. Turkey has experienced this; let others not experience it. This will not only contribute to Turkey's fight against FETÖ but also to the stability of those countries."
Yılmaz also touched on the Terror-Free Turkey process and continued his words as follows:
"At this stage, we are in a very critical period regarding the PKK dissolving itself, laying down arms, and producing a permanent solution to this problem. The permanent elimination of these security risks will give great strength to both our development and our democracy. Resources wasted on these areas will be spent for the welfare of our nation. It will enable our economy to rapidly mobilize its potential. On the other hand, in an environment where security concerns are eliminated, a much more favorable environment will emerge to raise our democratic standards. The permanent elimination of terrorism is extremely important for both democracy and development. I sincerely believe that this critical process will be achieved with the historical consciousness of our nation and the contributions of all parties in Parliament. I want to state that FETÖ also played a significant role in the failure of past efforts on this issue. I believe it would be beneficial to re-examine what happened in the processes we call the solution process in this context."