Shortly before the dissolution of the Turkish Parliament, the AKP party submitted a bill to amend the Turkish Armed Forces Personnel Law to the Presidency of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

The 49-point proposal focuses on powers, which are no longer exercised by the Chief of the General Staff and are transferred to the Minister of Defence. Such powers concern decisions, responsibilities, promotions, retirements, and placements of Officers.

In particular, the abolition of the relevant provision of the law, “taking into account the recommendation of the Chief of the General Staff”, and its substitution by the “decision of the Ministry of National Defence” means that each Minister will promote persons to their liking and demobilize unwanted persons.

At the same time, the legal framework regarding the disciplinary control of Professional and Contracted Soldiers is tightened based on social criteria, as the following provision is added: “Those who love drinking, gambling or commit acts that are shameful or contrary to the ethics of society and damage the reputation of the Turkish Armed Forces, the Military Police or the Coast Guard, commit shameful acts and therefore, their contracts will be terminated”.

According to retired Turkish officers, the bill in question politicizes everything, transforming the Turkish Armed Forces into a completely different structure, one that will have no secular identity or Kemalist characteristics, which the current leadership considers an obstacle.

Also, this reform may create problems in military discipline, since the Chief of the Turkish General Staff will have no authority.

Source: Cumhuriyet

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