Prof. Dr. Duran Bülbül’s ‘Clean Hands’ call: 'If corruption is reduced by 50%, the SSI and the budget will show a surplus'

Finance Professor Dr. Duran Bülbül stated in exclusive remarks to 12punto that Turkey has entered a new phase in its fight against corruption. Describing the addition of political will to Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek’s "Clean Hands" and legal struggle as an "economic enlightenment process," Bülbül proposed radical institutional reforms.

Renowned Finance Professor and faculty member Prof. Dr. Duran Bülbül made striking assessments regarding Turkey’s process of combating the corruption and waste that erode public resources. Emphasizing that the "clean hands" struggle in legal norms, which Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek has carried out from the past to the present, has transformed into a "political will" alongside his ministerial office, Bülbül defined this process as a vital threshold for Turkey’s economic prosperity.

'MUNICIPALITIES ALONE ARE NOT ENOUGH FOR A CLEAN SOCIETY'

Prof. Dr. Bülbül stated that the scope of the process, referred to as the "Clean Hands Operation," must be expanded and issued the following warning:

"It appears that this struggle is now a process where not only legal but also political will is being demonstrated for a clean society and clean politics. This operation should not be limited to municipalities; it must encompass all general, special, and local government-budgeted institutions. A new era of enlightenment has begun with the coordination of the Ministries of Justice and the Interior."

4 CRITICAL PROPOSALS FOR COMBATING CORRUPTION

Stating that the damage caused by corruption to the Turkish economy leads to "impoverishment and degeneration," Bülbül proposed four concrete structural reforms for a solution:

1. A Ministry of Local Governments should be established.

2. An Anti-Corruption and Waste Prevention Agency should be implemented.

3. An independent Internal Audit Institution should be created for the oversight of municipalities.

4. The Court of Accounts Law should be amended to make it mandatory to write a "public loss" report for municipal subsidiaries (companies), which have become the focus of corruption.

'1 LIRA OF EXPENDITURE RESULTS IN A 70 KURUS LOSS'

Presenting the efficiency loss in public spending in Turkey with numerical data, Prof. Dr. Bülbül said:

"While 1 lira of public expenditure creates 2 liras of public revenue globally, unfortunately in our country, 70 kurus of every 1 lira spent goes to corruption, and only 30 kurus of resources can be generated. If we can reduce corruption by just 50%, the Social Security Institution (SSI) and our budget will show a budget surplus. This means better pensions for retirees, better schools, hospitals, and parks."

'THE OPPOSITION AND UNIONS MUST ALSO PROVIDE SUPPORT'

Stating that this struggle should be the cause of the entire society, not just the government, Bülbül concluded his words as follows: "This Clean Hands process initiated by Minister of Justice Mr. Akın Gürlek is a process for a clean society and clean politics, and it is the only way for Turkey to break the middle-income trap and join the league of developed countries. For this reason, it is essential that the opposition, unions, and professional organizations, as well as the political power, lend their support to this struggle."

News Source: 12punto