Turkey: President to make top military appointments

By Sarp Ozer

ANKARA (AA) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will make changes in the top brass of the military, according to a new presidential decree published in the official gazette early Tuesday.

Under the new decree, the president will decide on the promotion of top officers, including colonels, brigadier generals, rear admirals, generals and admirals, in the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK).

The appointment of military officers will be made on Victory Day, Aug. 30, every year but this date may also be changed by the president.

The service period for the chief of staff will be four years.

The country officially switched to a new presidential system of government on Monday.

Erdogan’s re-election in the June 24 polls marked Turkey's transition to an executive presidential system of government, doing away with the prime minister's post, among other changes.

Erdogan won an absolute majority in the presidential election with 52.5 percent of the vote, according to Turkey’s Supreme Election Council (YSK).