Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ, who is scheduled to retire Aug. 30, relinquished his position to Land Forces Commander Gen. Işık Koşaner in a handover ceremony Friday.
Earlier in the day, Başbuğ attended an award ceremony and bestowed a medal of honor and the Distinguished Service Medal upon several military officers for their contributions and service to the Turkish Armed Forces, or TSK.
Also present at the award ceremony was Gen. Saldıray Berk, a suspect in the Erzincan branch of the Ergenekon case, which is an investigation into an alleged ultranationalist, shadowy gang accused of planning to topple the government by staging a coup.
Başbuğ also paid a farewell visit to Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, on Wednesday.
The outgoing top general had already paid a farewell visit to Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, on Tuesday.
Former chiefs of General Staff Hilmi Özkök and Yaşar Büyükanıt did not visit the MHP as part of their farewell visits although they visited the CHP.
Speaking to daily Milliyet columnist Fikret Bila, Başbuğ, who served in the most stressful period of the army due to the ongoing probes against several army members and accusations against the TSK for alleged involvement in the coup plot, said he did not feel tired.
“I still feel like a young lieutenant because being one means being on the attack,” he said Friday.
Responding to similar questions by journalists earlier, Başbuğ also said he felt like a lieutenant.
