Fahrettin Altun appointed Ambassador to the Vatican

Fahrettin Altun, President of the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey (TİHEK), has been appointed as Ambassador to the Vatican by a presidential decree published in the Official Gazette.

By presidential decree, Fahrettin Altun has been appointed as Turkey's Ambassador to the Vatican. Altun, who was removed from his post as the Presidential Communications Director in July, had subsequently been appointed as the President of the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey (TİHEK).

RUMORED IN POLITICAL CIRCLES

It had been rumored in Ankara political circles for some time that Altun would be appointed as ambassador to the Vatican. With the decision published in the Official Gazette under the signature of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, TİHEK President Fahrettin Altun has been appointed as Ambassador to the Vatican.

Altun, who served as the first head of the Communications Directorate—established in place of the Directorate General of Press and Information by a Presidential Decree issued in 2018—held this position for a long time. Before assuming the role of Communications Director, Altun served as the general coordinator at the SETA Foundation. During the transition, he handed over his seat at SETA and his position at the Communications Directorate to Burhanettin Duran.

FIRST STATEMENT FROM ALTUN, APPOINTED AS AMBASSADOR TO THE VATICAN

Altun made the following statement regarding his ambassadorship via his social media account:

"With the approval of our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, I have been appointed to the position of Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to the Vatican.

I will work with determination and resolve to fulfill this honorable duty entrusted to me, with an understanding befitting our state's deep-rooted diplomatic tradition, and with the responsibility to represent our country's reputation, values, and rightful arguments in the best possible way.

I express my gratitude to our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, for his approval in entrusting this duty to me, and to our Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Hakan Fidan, for his appreciation."