Pro-government activists in Turkey recently resumed talk of another coup attempt, which, according to critics, is an attempt to redirect public attention to the opposition and to distract from domestic problems, compounded by the outbreak of coronavirus.
nearly four years after a failed coup, which began mass purges in the ranks of the military and other state institutions, the assumption of a new coup attempt was greeted with skepticism by observers.
After trying to dislodge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July 2016 19 500 soldiers were dismissed during the purges against religious sect, which allegedly was behind the conspiracy.
Mitat Celikpala, Vice-rector of Kadir has University in Istanbul, said: “In the present circumstances, there is the situation and the environment in which the coup”.
However, Erdogan’s supporters insist that the threat remains. The talk about another possible coup began on the eve of the anniversary of the coup in 1960 against Adnan Menderes, the first Prime Minister of a multi-party government in Turkey.
Erdogan has compared himself with Menderes, who, by the way, hung up after the first of the four successful military coups. The last one was in 1997.
According to the President, the two leaders fought against the military government, which suppressed Islam in public life, they defended the preservation of the social model prescribed by the founder of Turkey Mustafa Kemal atatürk.
Recent allegations of plotting the ouster of the ruling justice and development associated with a possible conspiracy by the opposition.
this month, Erdogan accused the Republican people’s party, founded by Ataturk, and the largest opposition party, that she “longs coups and government”.
In the days that followed, a number of supporters of the AKP expressed bypotential coup, often in rather aggressive terms.
“You say, “We overthrow Erdogan, we would execute him, — said the journalist Fatih Tezcan. – And how will you defend your wives and children from us? One drop of blood Erdogan spilled the blood of millions”.
the Writer Sevda Noyan has caused outrage by appearing on television, where she stated that her family “could not do what we really wanted to do” during the coup attempt in 2016. She then stated that it had prepared a list of goals and can “destroy” the 50 people.
Murat Emir, the Deputy of the CHP in Ankara, said that allegations of conspiracy are intended to make the government a target for secularists.
“Under the current government, every opposition, which declares the need for change, can be accused of preparing a coup. Then some writers and journalists are outraged. These and similar statements always have the same goal — to hide the real agenda. The real danger is that they will remain unpunished those who are blacklisted neighbors and plans to mass murder. It’s people like Sevda Fatih Noyan and Tezkan who find grateful listeners and enough courage to openly Express their perverted thoughts,” he said.
Rumors of the seizure emerged after the government lost a major cities such as Ankara and Istanbul, at last year’s local elections. It is also of concern, the popularity of the opposition municipal assistance programs during a pandemic coronavirus.
Since the municipal CHP scheme was the target, the government dismissed dozens of newly elected mayors in the Southeast Kurdish majority, accusing them of terrorism.
talking about the coup was caused by the review of kanan Kaftancioglu, Chairman of the CHP in Istanbul and one of the leading party figures, at the end of April, when she talked about the change of governmentand “as a result of early elections or in any other way.”
she Later clarified that the comments were considered as the proposed removal of the PSR by non-democratic means.
However, others believe that talk of a possible coup stirs worsening prospects for the fragile Turkish economy in terms of coronavirus.
this month, the Turkish Lira reached a record low against the dollar, after the impact of the pandemic on exports and tourism expanded the growing current account deficit.
the IMF predicts that this year, the Turkish economy will shrink by 5%. This will lead to higher inflation and unemployment.
“the Assumption Erdogan about a potential coup is nothing more than a convenient trick that allows you to divert public attention from the economic crisis and financial violations in the country,” said Erdemir Icahn, senior Director of the Turkish program of the Foundation for defense of democracies.
Ahmet Evin, political scientist, said: “the Economic situation is absolutely terrible. And, regardless of who is in power, in these circumstances, there are many conspiracy theories. The whole atmosphere created for such things on the background of instability”.
