‘Authority pruning’ for municipalities! They will only collect trash

President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signaled a new regulation regarding the powers of municipalities during the AKP Group Meeting held on May 14, claiming that there is currently a 'jurisdictional confusion' between metropolitan municipalities and district municipalities.

The opposition reacted to these statements, arguing that the regulation aims to transfer the powers of municipalities won by the CHP in local elections in recent years to the central government.

ONLY TRASH COLLECTION WILL REMAIN FOR MUNICIPALITIES

DW Turkish shared the details of the regulation that the Ministry of Interior is working on, which aims to limit the jurisdictions of municipalities.

The draft regulation, in which 4 articles stand out, includes large-scale authority changes that could cause municipalities to lose their 'local government' status.

BUDGET-MAKING AUTHORITY WILL BE REMOVED

While the term 'İmamoğlu regulation' is being used for the study, the details of which were shared following Erdoğan's words that there is a need for a new municipal status, it is planned that municipal budgets will be approved and audited by the Governor's Office with the changes to be made.

SOCIAL ASSISTANCE WILL BE SUBJECT TO MINISTRY APPROVAL

While 'preventing corruption' is put forward as the justification for the study, a requirement to obtain permission from the ministry for social assistance payments will be imposed on municipalities following the restrictions.

URBAN TRANSFORMATION AND ZONING POWERS WILL BE REMOVED

Following the recent earthquake debates, all authority for 'urban transformation' projects, which the ruling front frequently mentions, will be transferred to the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. The urban transformation and zoning powers that municipalities possess within their own district boundaries will also be largely restricted.

TENDERS AND DIRECT PURCHASES WILL BE SUBJECT TO MINISTRY APPROVAL

With the prepared draft study, municipalities will be required to obtain approval from the Ministry for all kinds of tenders and direct purchases, even if they conduct an open tender. If the Ministry does not approve, the municipality will not be able to make any expenditures.

With the study, the jurisdictions of municipalities will be largely pruned. If the changes are implemented, only tasks such as collecting trash, building parks, and cleaning streets will remain for the municipalities.