Turkey's leading union confederation condemns coups

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish HAK-IS Trade Union Confederation on Monday condemned "all means of anti-democratic establishments."

The confederation chairman Mahmut Arslan in a written statement said: "As HAK-IS,.., we not only in our history but also today reject coup d'etat, military’s warning notices and other anti-democratic attempts, operations.

“We condemn the Feb 28 'postmodern' coup, military’s warning notices, operations, all means of anti-democratic establishments, and those who resort to these methods."

In February 1997, the military was involved in the collapse of late Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan’s government.

His government was forced to step down on Feb. 28, 1997, after a meeting of the National Security Council. Erbakan’s Welfare Party was also outlawed later.

A new civilian government then took over from Erbakan in a move that became known as Turkey’s postmodern coup.

The confederation head further called on authorities to compensate the victims of the Feb. 28 coup.

Arslan welcomed Turkey's continued efforts in enhancing democracy and expressed solidarity to country's ongoing Operation Olive Branch launched on Jan. 20 in Syria's northern Afrin region against terrorists.