The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) accelerated work for reforms in municipalities for accountability and transparency. The Local Administration Reform proposed by the party aims for a comprehensive overhaul of the administrations in 81 provinces and hundreds of districts run by elected officials.
The reforms were already being considered, but AK Party apparently seeks to speed up their implementation in light of corruption scandals in municipalities run by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). The municipalities and mayors have been under fire for excessive spending and seeking to dodge responsibility in their primary tasks.
Along with revenues from their subsidiaries, the municipalities benefit from the allocation of funds by the government. The Social Security Institution (SGK) also supports the municipalities on social security premiums for their staff, and for a while, postponed municipalities’ debts for social security. The issue was in the spotlight in recent years as the government revealed that the CHP-run municipalities had outstanding debts. The expenses for the municipal staff are required not to exceed 40% of the municipal budget, but in some municipalities, they already amount for 60%. Under the reforms, the municipalities exceeding 40% threshold will face sanctions while the SGK will stop payment of premiums. These steps are expected to prevent the municipalities from accumulating debts.
When reforms are implemented, mayors and directors of municipal subsidiaries will face strict inspections for their expenses. The municipalities will also be required to have online disclosure of their activities periodically, to allow citizens to check which investments they made and how their taxes were used.
Another section of the reforms will be zoning regulations. The regulations will be strictly monitored for preservation of cities and ending excessive rises in rents and house prices, as well as office sales in rezoned areas.
The municipal projects failing to pass tests that are set to be introduced will be exempt from funding by the government.
The municipalities’ debt management will be restructured and bound to strict criteria. They will also be required to prioritize projects for the public good. The reforms will also introduce tougher regulations on municipalities’ revenues to boost accountability.
