The decision to extend the emergency was taken by a majority vote.

The state of emergency was introduced in the state after the coup attempt in July 2016. Then President Erdogan accused the preacher Gyulen and the opposition military in an attempt to remove him from power. The government suspects that the "Gulenovites" have infiltrated all important spheres and state institutions - the judiciary, the army and the school, various ministries.

In Turkey, law enforcers conducted a raid of arrests of journalists, politicians, professors, teachers, as well as scientists and lawyers. Many civilian organizations were banned.

The Turkish opposition, as well as a number of EU leaders, criticized the extension of the state of emergency, as this, in their view, threatens the rights and freedoms of citizens.

As reported in "URA-Inform", earlier the head of the Turkish General Staff Hulusi Akar went to Moscow for talks where he will discuss the current situation in Syria.