No fundamentalist or coup threat anymore

Despite these uncertainties, our outlook is changing.

Things we were used to for the last 80 years have now become a thing of the past.

Wasn’t the biggest threat perceived by the secularists the possibility of religious fundamentalists taking over power and turning Turkey into a country ruled by religious law? How many political parties did we close just because of this fear? How many did we put into prison? Whenever we saw a person with a beard, we accused him of fundamentalism. We implemented soft coups and toppled governments. It wasn’t just the military that did this; we forced them to do it.

Wasn’t our other major fear perceived as a threat to our territorial integrity? Kurdish separatists were going to divide our country. Just think of what we did to prevent that. Thousands lost their lives. Our democracy was hurt. Freedom of expression was trampled underfoot. Our only objective was to protect our country.

Let’s just stop and reflect upon these fears once again.

Let’s try to imagine what will happen in a Turkey that has started negotiations with the EU.

These negotiations will mean all eyes turning towards Turkey and the economy setting the pace in accordance with the progress of the negotiations. Every disagreement or impasse in the negotiations will result in a dip in the financial markets and an increase in interest rates.

Each one of us will examine how the discussions on the 31 topics are progressing. We will all see how agricultural policies will change and what will happen to social security. Just as we follow the markets, we will follow the negotiations.

During this sensitive process, certain things cannnot happen in Turkey:

1. Turkey cannot become a religious state.

From now on, those who may want to establish a religious state in Turkey will find out that the EU is an even bigger obstacle to their objectives, even more so than the secular military and civil organizations. From now on, every step taken on the matters of headscarves or imam-hatip schools will first be sifted by Brussels: Everyone should know this. That is why those who say: "Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is using the EU to achieve his religious goals. He will first weaken the military before establishing the regime he desires," are mistaken. The military cannot ignore such a development and the biggest reaction will come from the EU. Erdogan is aware of this.

2. There cannot be any coups

A military coup cannot happen. We all know this. Not only is it impossible for a military coup to take place, but even a fascist party coming to power is out of the question. Let’s not forget that the EU openly recommended that Austria’s fascist prime minister resign — and the Austrian complied.

3. There cannot be any turning back

Another important article is the implementation of the reforms and laws passed to date. We have a habit of ignoring laws that we do not like. This will no longer happen.

Turkey choses prosperity
We may be realizing this a little slowly, but the Turkish public desires prosperity. It no longer wants to lose precious time by becoming entangled in the Cyprus crisis.

Turkey does not want any further problems with Greece.

Instead of participating in the Iraq War, it wants its borders to be peaceful.

Turkey desires a peaceful solution to the Kurdish problem.

In order for it to get what it wants, it is supporting the government’s initiatives. It says "No" to U.S. troop deployment. It is silent on the developments in Cyprus.

The priority of the Turkish people is the EU.

If we accept these facts, we will see the future much more clearly and our assessments will become that much better. If we realize that the old and outdated policies are of no use anymore, we will be far more relaxed about the issue.

If there are some who think that this wind of change will soon lose strength, they are very much mistaken.

Turkey is now set upon a straight course with the responsibility for the voyage an onerous one.