Presidential Chief Advisor comments on dismissal of lieutenants: 'Their only concern'

Presidential Chief Advisor Ahmet Selim Köroğlu defended the decision to dismiss five lieutenants and three of their commanders from the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in a statement.

In a post on his social media account, Köroğlu stated the following:

"Discipline is the foundation of the entire system in the TSK. The greatest harm that can be done to a national army is to allow the crime of indiscipline to infect it. The real concern of those opposing the decision is not a debate on military discipline or legal compliance. Their only concern is to exploit the incident of the lieutenants' dismissal for their own narrow political interests."

WHAT HAPPENED?

Five of the lieutenants who crossed their swords and chanted "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal" after the graduation ceremony were officially dismissed from the TSK with the announced decision.

Statement from the Ministry of National Defense (MSB):

"Within the scope of the administrative and disciplinary investigations initiated following the images reflected in the public eye after the Military Academy Flag Handover and Graduation Ceremony; the High Disciplinary Board of the Ministry of National Defense has imposed the 'Dismissal from the Armed Forces' penalty on 3 consecutive disciplinary superiors, and the High Disciplinary Board of the Land Forces has imposed the same penalty on 5 lieutenants, in accordance with the mandatory provisions of the Turkish Armed Forces Disciplinary Law, the Regulation on High Disciplinary Boards of the Turkish Armed Forces, and other aforementioned legislation. 

In our Turkish Armed Forces, where the priority is the preservation and maintenance of established discipline; there should be no doubt that no action, incident, or situation contrary to discipline will be tolerated. Respectfully announced to the public."

News Source: 12punto