Türkiye Establishes Cybersecurity Presidency to Strengthen National Digital Security
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Türkiye has established the Cybersecurity Presidency to combat cyber threats and enhance national cybersecurity. A Cybersecurity Law Proposal defining its duties has been approved by the National Defense Commission. While the government sees this as a step forward, critics warn of potential threats to freedom of expression. The Presidency will oversee cyber resilience, threat intelligence, and infrastructure protection, centralizing policies previously managed by multiple institutions. Turkey also plans to train more cybersecurity experts to strengthen its digital defenses.
Cybersecurity Law Proposal Approved by National Defense Commission
The Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) National Defense Commission approved the Cybersecurity Law Proposal on January 15. The proposal defines the duties of the Cybersecurity Presidency, which was established by a Presidential Decree on January 8.
The aim of the proposal is to increase the cyber resilience and cyber maturity levels of public institutions and critical infrastructure organizations. The government claims that this initiative will "elevate the cybersecurity infrastructure to a new level."
Concerns Over Freedom of Expression
However, journalists and human rights advocates argue that some expressions in the proposal are vague and restrictiveof freedom of expression. The Freedom of Expression Association (IFÖD) warned that the proposal could create a system lacking legal safeguards, leading to arbitrary practices and lack of oversight.
AK Party Deputy Chairman Ömer İleri disagreed with the criticisms regarding vague wording, stating that the law proposal provides a detailed breakdown of its provisions.
For the proposal to become law, it must be voted on in the general assembly, approved by the president, and published in the Official Gazette.
What is the Role of the Cybersecurity Presidency?
The proposal envisions the establishment of a Cybersecurity Board, which will determine Turkey's cybersecurity policies and strategies. This board will be chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and will include various ministers, the Head of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT), the President of Defense Industries, and the Cybersecurity President.
Additionally, the proposal defines the duties and powers of the newly established Cybersecurity Presidency. The Presidency will be responsible for:
Combating cyber threats Gathering and sharing cyber threat intelligence Conducting malware analysis activities
Key Responsibilities of the Cybersecurity Presidency
According to the proposal, the Cybersecurity Presidency will be responsible for:
Enhancing the cyber resilience of critical infrastructure and information systems Protecting against cyberattacks Conducting or commissioning vulnerability and penetration tests, as well as risk assessments for assets Gathering, producing, and sharing cyber threat intelligence
Current State of Cybersecurity Policies in Turkey
Ömer İleri noted that, at present, cybersecurity policies are managed by multiple institutions, including:
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure The Ministry of Industry and Technology The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) TÜBİTAK The Presidential Digital Transformation Office He stated that some institutions will continue their work within their limited areas of responsibility, but the Cybersecurity Presidency will define the highest-level strategies.
Turkey’s Future in Cybersecurity and Workforce Development
As part of this effort, Turkey is expected to train more cybersecurity experts in the coming years. The government is known to support institutions dedicated to training cybersecurity professionals.
Therefore, it is likely that we will see a significant increase in Turkish cybersecurity professionals in the field in the near future.
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