Local Governments Academy Has Begun

The opening week of the Local Governments Academy certificate program organized by the Bahçeşehir University School of Government and Leadership took place on Saturday, 17 September 2011, at Bahçeşehir University's Beşiktaş campus.

Important assessments on local governments were made during the program, which hosted Aydın Baruş, Head of Department at the General Directorate of Local Administrations; Dr. Masum Türker, Chair of the DSP; Prof. Dr. Yılmaz Büyükerşen, Mayor of Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality; and Osman Usta, Chair of the Local Administrations Association.

Aydın Baruşstated that Türkiye had long discussed the need for modern fiscal administration reforms but that these had not materialized until the AKP government, under which the issue was considered and gained ground. He also noted that this was the issue addressed most systematically and most intensively since the founding of the Republic.

Masum Türkersaid that the budget given to municipalities and their right to develop trade had been curtailed on 12 September. He also thanked Prime Minister Erdoğan for his statement on the adoption of secularism as a model in Libya, Tunisia and Egypt during his visits to these countries.

Prof. Dr. Yılmaz Büyükerşensaid that municipalities in Türkiye turn a blind eye to unplanned construction for the sake of votes, that zoning amnesties are therefore issued in every election period and title deeds are granted to these settlements, and that consequently most of the municipalities' workload consists of correcting these irregularities and carrying out urban transformation projects.

Osman Usta explained that the financial structure of Metropolitan Municipalities had been transferred to the Central Special Provincial Administrations, stating that municipalities provide services without resources and face many problems in practice.