ANKARA: Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Wednesday the military was facing “unnecessary and unjust” criticism, comments that appeared aimed at easing tensions with the armed forces over suspected anti-government conspiracies.
Reforms have eroded the military’s power in recent years as Ankara seeks European Union membership and relations between the secularist armed forces and the Islamist-rooted government have been prickly.
Police on Saturday detained eight soldiers and searched the headquarters of a special forces unit which media linked to a possible plot to kill a deputy prime minister.
“The Turkish Armed Forces are facing unnecessary and unjust attitudes, excessive and disturbing assessments. These things are wrong,” Anatolia news agency quoted Gul as telling reporters at a reception. “Do not undermine institutions unjustly,” he said, adding that Turkey was raising its democratic standards as it worked toward EU membership.
The armed forces have toppled four governments since 1960, and a civilian search of a military facility would have been unthinkable a few years ago.
All the soldiers were released without charge on Tuesday evening after a court rejected a prosecutor’s call for three of them to be remanded in custody under the investigation.
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan met military commanders several times in recent days and on Sunday denied any tensions with the armed forces, traditionally regarded as guardians of Turkey’s secular constitution.
