Dear Fellow Fighters and Colleagues;

I assumed the duty as the first  Minister of National Defence of the Presidential Government System as of 10 July 2018.

I am so excited and proud to perform this crucial task together with You, the esteemed colleagues and fellow workers,  during such an historic period under the new roof of the Ministry of National Defence.

In the period where significant developments were faced in politics, military and economic fields both at global and regional levels, we will continue our works with a great determination and effort for the following period all together day and night as it has been before in order to establish the future of our country having a key geostrategic position not just in security but also in defence areas.

In our era, security environment is being directly shaped by terrorısm, cyber attacks and increasing number of mass-destruction weapons as well as being indirectly shaped by illegal migration,energy security and climate change.

Therefore, threats of today and near future transform into rapidly changing, complicated and hard- to- predict ‘’hybrid’’structure .

Those risk and threats, which force the security environment to the rapid and constant changes, require us to work in an intensive coordination and co-operation - solidarity not only within the institution but also among the institutions.

We will try to fulfill our duties based on projects and transparency in a sincere and serious manner within the framework of the constitution and law.

In conducting these activities, we will focus on our target, that is to say to the result, calling it as a direct aim far from waste and vanity being aware of the ‘’endless requirements but the limited sources’’ .

In our work, we aim to increase the efficiency,deterrence and prestige of Turkish Armed Forces ,that is a national army in all respects, emerging from our noble nation and fulfilling the duties entrusted to itself with a great success and sacrifice.

Dear Colleagues and Fellow Fighters;

Our fight with terror organizations such as PKK/KCK/PYD-YPG, DAESH and mainly with FETÖ which have endangered our nation and democracy infiltrating into the Turkish Armed Forces together with all governmental institutions and bodies shall continue uninterruptedly from now on as it has been until now. It is and shall be seen that we will become stronger as our organizations and bodies are cleaned up from treacherous members of FETÖ.

In the light of the National Defense Strategy, any capabilities and competence offered by laws in the conduct of all missions aiming to provide sovereignty and independence of our noble nation and integrity and security of our country against all kinds of risks, threats and dangers, mainly including fight against terrorism, shall be used in place and in time with courage based on reasoning.

In addition to counter-terrorism operations that we have been conducting at home and abroad, we shall continue to perform NATO, UN, EU and OSCE missions and remain liable to the historical responsibility we have taken in a vast geography extending from Afghanistan to Kosovo, from Bosnia Herzegovina to Qatar, from Lebanon to Somali and to Gulf of Aden within the scope of bilateral relations consistent with our history, national and moral values preserving the rights and interests of our country.

While serving to our glorious nation together with the power we get from our national, moral and professional values that we have inherited from our ancestors who reigned and provided peace, stability and security in seven seasons and three continents and with the support of our national and indigenous defense industry, I believe that we shall succeed as one and together with decisiveness and dedication on the way to being a stronger Turkey and a stronger army.

With this feelings and thoughts, I once again remember the founder of our Republic, Ghazi Mustafa Kemal and his fellow fighters, our hero veterans and all our members with respect and gratitude who passed on into eternal life and our Saint martyrs who gave their lives for their country’s land and would like express my respect and gratitude to the esteemed family members of our martyrs and veterans and to our hero veterans who are alive.

I wish health and success not just to our fellow fighters and colleagues who carry out their duty with sacrifice and courage at every level of our Ministry and Armed Forces but also to all our members together with their families who have made great effort to reach today’s high level.