Turkey’s gov’t decides to extend state of emergency for another three months

The Turkish government has decided to extend a state of emergency for another three months upon the recommendation of the National Security Board (MGK), a day after a key referendum overhauling Turkey’s governance system was narrowly approved.

کد خبر: ۶۸۵۹۴۸

تاریخ: ۲۹ فروردين ۱۳۹۶ - ۱۱:۰۵

Hurriyet - The Turkish government has decided to extend a state of emergency for another three months upon the recommendation of the National Security Board (MGK), a day after a key referendum overhauling Turkey’s governance system was narrowly approved.

"The state of emergency is not an issue of fantasy for Turkey or a measure to ease the hands of the government,” Numan Kurtulmuş, a spokesman for the government and deputy prime minister, told reporters after a cabinet meeting late on April 17. Kurtulmuş said the cabinet approved the advice of the MGK for the extension of the state of emergency and that parliament was expected to vote on it on April 18.

Turkey declared a state of emergency on July 20, 2016, in an ostensible bid to fight against the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ), which has been blamed for the coup.

Both the cabinet and the MGK convened at the Presidential Complex under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

"A very tough struggle is being carried out against all terror organizations,” Kurtulmuş said.

"This is not just a matter of the government. This is about the security of Turkey, a matter of survival.”

Parliament will vote on the governmental demand for the extension of the state of emergency late on April 18.