Sports complex in Romania named after July 15 hero Ömer Halisdemir

A sports complex constructed with Turkish aid in Romania was officially named Thursday after Sgt. Ömer Halisdemir, who died in the bloody defeated coup of July 15.

Deputy Prime Minister Veysi Kaynak and former Galatasaray football star Gheorghe Hagi took part in the inauguration ceremony in Constanta, a city on Romania's Black Sea coast. The Ömer Halisdemir Sports Complex, constructed by the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TİKA), is part of an orphanage serving 67 children.

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Kaynak said the government and people view every person as equal and worthy regardless of their religion, race, language, or ethnicity. Kaynak said they want to dedicate the complex to Halisdemir's children, who were left orphaned after the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) killed their father during the coup attempt. TİKA head Serdar Cam said the agency, which has offices in 54 countries and implements projects in 151 countries, has been working in Romania for a year-and-a-half. Cam said that in that short period of time, TİKA has carried out 45 projects in Romania. Constanta Governor Adrian Nicolaescu thanked Turkey for its support to the residents of the district.

Halisdemir shot pro-coup Brig. Gen. Semih Terzi in the head after the latter attempted to seize control of the Special Forces Command in the capital Ankara. Pro-coup soldiers later murdered Halisdemir.