Türkiye gets new chiefs for MIT, defence industry agency, army general staff

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has appointed Ibrahim Kalin head of the National Intelligence Organisation (MIT), the Communications Directorate said on June 5.

Before his new appointment, Kalin had served as Türkiye’s presidential spokesman since 2014, Anadolu reports.

Kalin, 51, also served as deputy chairman of the Security and Foreign Policy Council of the Turkish Presidency and chief adviser to Erdogan since 2018.

He is married and has three children.

Defence Industry Presidency

Furthermore, Haluk Gorgun was appointed as the new head of Türkiye’s Defence Industries Presidency.

Gorgun, 50, had been CEO of leading Turkish defence firm Aselsan since April 2018.

Gorgun earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at Türkiye’s Yildiz Teknik University and a doctorate from the US-based Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

He became a professor in 2013.

Ismail Demir, his predecessor, had headed the presidency since July 2018.

Chief of General Staff

Meanwhile, Musa Avsever was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces.

Earlier, he served as the commander of the Turkish Ground Forces.

Previously, this post was held by Yashar Guler, who was appointed the Tuskish national defence minister.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced his brand new cabinet following his re-election in Türkiye’s May 28 runoff vote, with two ministers retaining their seats and many new faces to usher in a new era.

The head of the National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) Hakan Fidan replaced Mevlut Cavusoğlu as foreign minister, while former economy chief Mehmet Simsek has become the new finance minister, in a much-anticipated decision.

Erdogan named Cevdet Yılmaz as the new vice president, who replaces Fuat Oktay. He has not named any others in the position and will work with a single vice president.

Yılmaz Tunc replaced Bekir Bozdag as justice minister, while Chief of Staff Gen Yasar Guler replaced Hulusi Akar as defence minister.

Mahinur Ozdemir, who served as Türkiye's Ambassador to Algeria, was named as the country's new Family and Social Policies Minister, replacing Derya Yanık.

Meanwhile, Ali Yerlikaya, who served as the Istanbul governor for five years, has become the new interior minister, replacing Suleyman Soylu.

Vedat Isıkhan has become the new Labor and Social Security Minister, Mehmet Ozhaseki became the Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Minister, and Alparslan Bayraktar became the Energy and Natural Resources Minister.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca and Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy retained their seats as ministers.

Here is a list of other ministers in the cabinet:

Youth and Sports Minister: Osman Askın Bak

National Education Minister: Yusuf Tekin

Industry and Technology Minister: Mehmet Fatih Kacir

Agriculture and Forestry Minister: Ibrahim Yumaklı

Trade Minister: Omer Bolat

Transport and Infrastructure Minister: Abdulkadir Uraloglu

Earlier on June 3, the president said the cabinet would hold its first meeting on June 6.

Erdogan was sworn in as the president and started his third and last term in Office.

In his victory speech late on May 28, Erdogan vowed to set up reputable finance management, as he termed inflation Türkiye’s most urgent issue after the vote.

Markets are trying to gauge whether the reelected president will change course or double down on policies centred around cheaper borrowing costs to combat rising prices and stimulate economic growth.

Erdogan has given little indication of any U-turn in the coming weeks and months, having repeatedly stressed that he would remain committed to his low interest-rate economic blueprint.