Former officers have issued a statement: "Erdogan wants to leave the Montreux Convention, which helps our security" • Erdogan's men: "This is a call for reversal"
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Photo:
Reuters
No less than 103 former Turkish admirals issued a statement yesterday (Saturday) criticizing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over his stance against the Montreux Treaty, which deals with the status of Egyptian drandals and the Bosphorus as well as the division of military forces in the Black Sea.
"The treaty is a guarantee of peace for us in the Black Sea," the former admirals said in a statement - referring to the treaty which also restricts Ukraine and Russia.
"The government is Islamizing the army," they blamed Erdogan's men, noting a deputy admiral visiting an Islamic cult leader while wearing a religious robe and turban over military uniforms.
The storm began after Parliament Speaker Mustafa Shantop said "Erdogan has the power to withdraw from the treaty".
Israeli-Turkish confrontation live
The move by 103 admirals is not accepted with understanding in Turkey, which has undergone four successful coups in its history, as well as a failed military coup attempt in 2016.
"Senior members of Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AK) have accused them of encouraging a coup, and the Attorney General's Office has opened an investigation."
"The Admirals' statement not only contains constructive criticism, with the aim of changing the government's opinion regarding the Montero Treaty, but the letter also contains political messages concerning the secularism of the Turkish army," Dr. Chai Eitan Cohen Inrojek, a researcher, tells Israel Today. Modern Turkey at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and at the Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University.
He said, "The messages also relate to an incident from last week, during which changes were made to the regulations of the military colleges and the conditions of admission. If in the past one parent had a criminal record regarding subversive religious activity then it was impossible to be admitted to institutions, then now the restriction no longer exists."
