More transparency in municipalities and improvement of public services are on the agenda of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). A draft paper on municipal reforms was discussed at the party’s central executive board meeting, chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on Monday.
Erdoğan has earlier called for a better inspection on how municipal funds are utilized, as municipalities run by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) face numerous investigations for rampant corruption, including bribes to mayors.
According to a study presented by the party’s Local Governments Directorate to the central executive board, mayors will be required to disclose the assets they acquire during their terms in office.
Municipal tender information, the number of contracts and detailed spending items will be shared with the public on a monthly basis. The draft proposal also scrutinizes the practice of mayors appointing relatives to municipal positions. The initiative aims to make service-oriented and efficient governance a mandatory component of the system.
The reform package also includes various measures to ensure the regular collection of municipalities’ growing debts to the Social Security Institution (SGK). The goal is to strengthen fiscal discipline and prevent public losses.
During the meeting, Erdoğan drew attention to what he described as opposition-run municipalities’ shortcomings in delivering services. Emphasizing that water management is a core municipal responsibility, Erdoğan said, “They say, ‘Let the State Hydraulic Works (DSI) handle it.’ We will do the work and deliver the water, but we must explain to the public that this is their responsibility. Water is the source of civilization, production, energy and life. Managing water requires experience and vision.”
Referring to his tenure as mayor of Istanbul, Erdoğan said, “I come from a mayoral background. We brought water to Istanbul from the Istranca Mountains, 180 kilometers (111.85 miles) away. We took over the municipality from the CHP mentality. CHP-run municipalities cannot deliver the water they have to the people. Our citizens are waiting in tanker lines with plastic containers. That is the difference between us,” he said, referring to recent water shortages in the opposition-run cities.
