Local Reform Initiative Association holds its first event: ‘A democratic, participatory, and egalitarian local government is possible’

The Local Reform Initiative Association held a panel titled ‘Administrative and Financial Autonomy in the Power Sharing Between Central Administration and Local Governments’ on November 30 at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Ali Emiri Efendi Cultural Center. The panel, which featured an opening speech by former Foreign Minister Murat Karayalçın, who once served as the chairman of the Social Democratic Populist Party (SHP), was attended by approximately 250 people.  

Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ergül Halisçelik, Prof. Dr. Burhan Şenatalar from Istanbul Bilgi University, and Local Reform Initiative Association Coordinator Ayşe Kaşıkırık spoke to 12punto. 

“CENTRALIZATION IS AN OBSTACLE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT” 

Explaining the founding purpose of the Local Reform Initiative Association, Kaşıkırık stated: 

“The purpose of the Local Reform Initiative is to believe that a more democratic, participatory, egalitarian, and inclusive local government is possible together, by saying ‘another urban life is possible.’ In this context, our first topic was to discuss the issue of administrative and financial autonomy and to come together to share a very pressing agenda. Unfortunately, centralization policies and the concentration of powers in the center create a very serious guardianship obstacle before local governments and localization. For this reason, as Turkey, which is a signatory to the European Charter of Local Self-Government that we desire, we advocate that the authority, responsibility, and duty areas of local governments should be expanded, that policies implemented by the central government should be designed with a perspective that expands and eases rather than trims or restricts, and most importantly, that the dimension of participation and inclusivity should not be neglected.” 

“THE BIGGEST PROBLEM OF MUNICIPALITIES IS DEBT” 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halisçelik began his remarks by explaining the details of the change regarding the debts of municipalities and their affiliated organizations published in the Official Gazette: 

“Municipalities have companies they are affiliated with; they have subsidiary companies in which they hold 100 percent or 50 percent shares. With this change in the law, there will be deductions from the municipal shares for the debts of those companies as well. The deduction, which was previously between 10 percent and 40 percent, will now head toward 40 percent, and this will cause municipalities that are already in difficult situations to fall into even greater financial distress. Perhaps the biggest problem of municipalities right now is the problem of indebtedness.” 

“OUR TARGET FOR DEPENDENCE ON THE CENTER: 75 PERCENT” 

Regarding the repayment of municipal debts by creating resources, increasing revenues, and saving, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halisçelik said, “When we consider the 30 metropolitan municipalities right now, approximately 80 percent of the total revenue comes from the central government, and 20 percent is the revenue they create with their own resources. Of course, municipalities should also ensure financial discipline independent of this; there is not only a savings item here, meaning not just expenditure-reducing activities, but they can also lower this 80 percent dependency rate by creating new revenue sources or increasing their revenues. For example, in the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, our target this year should be to reduce this 80 percent dependency rate to 75 percent at the end of the 5th year. They should find new revenue sources, grants, and loans, and municipalities should seek to finance municipal projects with external financial resources.” 

“TRUSTEES CAN CREATE A CONTINUITY PROBLEM” 

Evaluating the process that began with the arrest of CHP Esenyurt Mayor Prof. Dr. Ahmet Özer and the appointment of a trustee in his place, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halisçelik stated, “There are certain provisions in the Constitution and laws regarding guardianship, but this guardianship should not lead to arbitrary actions in administrative, financial, or political terms. The fact that these decisions become arbitrary can create a continuity problem.” 

“WHAT MATTERS IS THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC SERVICE” 

Regarding the ‘nursery crisis’ experienced in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halisçelik said, “Central administration and local governments are not rivals, but complements to each other. What is important here is the provision of public service. It is not very important who provides the public service; there are people in need here. The basic purpose of nurseries or child education centers was born out of the need to ensure gender equality and strengthen the position of women. While the aim was to ensure women's participation in employment and the development of children through educational activities and playgroups, I hope this problem will be solved soon.” 

“TRUSTEES ARE A POLITICAL OPERATION” 

In his statement to 12punto, Prof. Dr. Şenatalar began his remarks by addressing the trustees appointed to CHP and DEM Party municipalities, stating, “These are units that have authority in a certain area and are managed by elected bodies. Therefore, telling an elected mayor ‘I have removed you and appointed a trustee’ can only happen in very exceptional circumstances. But when it happens more than once, it means that political preference is playing a role. This is unacceptable in principle. We see that names close to the government, not the opposition, are appointed as trustees; therefore, this is a political operation, and it is contrary to both democracy and the constitution.” 

“POLITICAL PREFERENCE SHOULD NOT BE APPLIED” 

Addressing municipal debts, Prof. Dr. Şenatalar criticized the government, stating, “All municipalities have enormous debts. Some measures can be taken for their repayment without applying political preference among all municipalities. But the moment you discriminate based on political preferences while doing these, that is also contrary to the principles of democracy; there is intent and malice.” 

“INJUSTICES DONE TO MUNICIPALITIES MUST BE OPPOSED” 

Speaking about the controversy over municipalities opening nurseries, Prof. Dr. Şenatalar said, “The private sector, any foundation, or a religious community foundation can build a kindergarten. A municipality can also do it, but there is such a situation: we have general principles regarding preschool education, and everyone must comply with those principles, and the principles must be applied equally to everyone. Preventing municipalities from doing this is actually imposing a penalty on the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and creating an obstacle. But the victims are the families of the children who will go there and those children. There is an injustice to children here, and everyone should oppose the injustice done to municipalities,” he concluded.