Hungary condemns attempted putsch in Turkey

Budapest, July 16 (MTI) – Hungary firmly condemns the attempted coup d’etat in Turkey, the foreign minister said on Saturday.

Based on the actions that took place overnight, the manner in which they were committed and the number of victims, “this can be called an act of terrorism”, Péter Szijjártó said at a press conference at Budapest’s Liszt Ferenc International Airport.

At this time, there is no information regarding any Hungarian nationals killed or injured in the attempted putsch, he added.

Turkey is Hungary’s friend and a strategic ally, Szijjártó said. Hungary stands in solidarity with the democratically elected government in Turkey and with the Turkish president, too, he added.

Szijjártó said he had spoken with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, on the telephone in the morning and was told that the Turkish government and central powers have taken back control and are “in charge of the situation”. A well-organised, but also insulated, part of the army carried out the attempted coup and tried to take over power, Cavusoglu told Szijjártó.

Szijjártó, who was returning from the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Ulaanbaatar, said there were shots fired in the street next to the Hungarian embassy in Ankara, but they were not directed at the embassy building or its staff.