Turkish General Staff put under Defense Ministry

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on July 15 issued new presidential decrees, making a number of structural changes to important state councils, bodies, and ministries, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

Under the decree, the Turkish General Staff will be fall under the Defense Ministry.

On July 9 Erdoğan appointed Hulusi Akar, then-chief of General Staff, defense minister under the new presidential system.

Erdoğan told reporters at the time that such a change was an option, stressing it was one of the requirements of the EU from Turkey in the accession process.

“We will evaluate this with our friends under the new system. It’s not true to have a dual management. We now have to find a way to this. I am sure we will resolve this,” he stressed.