Turkey's Envoy to Bulgaria: Arrests of Judges 'Planned' Before Coup

Novinite Insider » DIPLOMATIC CHANNEL | July 18, 2016, Monday // 11:58
Bulgaria: Turkey's Envoy to Bulgaria: Arrests of Judges 'Planned' Before Coup Turkey's Ambassador to Bulgaria S?leyman G?k?e entering the Council of Ministers building on Saturday, hours after the failed coup attempt. BGNES

The attempted coup d'etat in Turkey was aimed at preventing arrests of judges and prosecutors that had been planned beforehand, the country's Ambassador to Bulgaria, S?leyman G?k?e, has said.

He has described the foiled coup as "a large-scale action of a terrorist organization we have been dealing with for years".

In an interview with private NOVA TV broadcaster, he has argued the attempt to seize the state had been scheduled to foil the prepared detentions of 2745 judges and prosecutors.

The magistrates were removed and arrested on Saturday as Turkish authorities were dealing with the aftermath of the coup attempt.

Mr Gokce has referred to G?len's organization as a sect when asked whether his country is sliding toward Islamization.

"The organization of G?len [the US-based cleric Ankara accuses of being behind the coup attempt] is actually a religious sect. The question is: is Turkey becoming more religious or authorities or is it thwarting an attempt of a religious sect to get a grip on power."

Fending off speculation that the coup plot might have been a scenario played out by authorities, he has said the Bulgarian politicians and scholars who suggested that were ill-informed.

"It was democracy who won and we should be happy," he has added.

On border security between Bulgaria and Turkey, the Ambassador asserted there was nothing Bulgarians should worry about.

"If it starts to rain in Turkey, here you speak of refugees. If the sun shines, you again speak of refugees. There are many other issues between the two countries."

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Tags: Suleyman Gokce, Fethullah Gulen, turkey, Turkey coup, Bulgaria

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