"Bu konularda adımlar atılmadığı sürece kimse bizden normalleşmeyi beklemesin" dedi.

adimlar seems to be the subject of the adverbial clause, why would it be wrong to say "adımların atılmadığı"

could it be that "adımlar" is treated as indefinite object, not as subject?

It sounds like Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said this.

Why would it be "adımların"?

First of all, "adım atmak" is together a verb and it means "make a step"

So, it stays indefinite here.

Thank you very much, it is from Radikal, i took atılmak to be a passive form (b/c of ıl) of atmak, most of the dictionary entries give a passive form, thus i thought that it means "steps are being taken" with steps as subject

yes, it is passive "as long as no steps are taken towards us...

Thank you again very much, glad to see that quotations from Turkish newspapers are allowed, was afraid that anything having anything to do with politics is forbidden. Your answer prompted a look for the answer in
"Turkish, a comprehensive grammar", ISBN 0-415-11494-2, it may be as follows:

26.2.1 Genitive markings or its absence (!!!!!) in the subject of a non-finite adverbial clause

the overt subject of most kinds of non-finite adverbial clause is non-case-marked:....

In the following types, however, the subject receives genitive case marking:

(i) clauses that have the subordinator -mA

(ii) clauses formed with -DIğI/-(y)AcAğI gibi       expressing manner (26.3.8(iii)), but not those expressing addition (26.3.1) or time (26.3.16(iv))(!!!!!!)


The points marked with multiple exclamation marks appear to answer the question raised by earlier post

 "Adımların atılmadığı" is wrong here.But it can be a correct expression in another sentence. Ex::

Gerekli adımların atılmadığı durumlar

The situations that have never been taken necessary steps

As you say "adımlar atılmadığı sürece" is adverbal clause. Because of it you can´t say "adımların atılmadığı sürece". But "adımların atılmadığı durumlar" is adjective clause and you should say "adımların" here not "adımlar"