Turkey establishes new department to protect state border. The draft law on border protection has been submitted to the Turkish General Staff of the Armed Forces.

The law proposes abolishing of coastguard and establishment of a new department on border protection at Internal Ministry. If the document is approved, it will enable Turkish border service to use heavy weapons to supervise operations within the borders and tap the lines without a court decision.

Under the law, gendarmerie will pass border protection to General department. Department will deal with protection of border with Greece and Bulgaria from 2015, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan from 2017, with Syria - from 2018.