SAHIN: ``DRAFT LAW ABOUT PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORM HAS COME TO THE STAGE OF BEING SUBMITTED TO THE PARLIAMENT``
ANKARA - State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said on Monday that the draft law about public administration reform had come to the stage of being submitted to the parliament.
Together with Prime Ministry Undersecretary Omer Dincer, Sahin held a press conference to give information about the draft.
``Under the draft, number of state ministries will be reduced from 20 to 8. When the draft envisaging rebuilding of public sector is put into practice, Turkey will have an annual saving of 500 trillion Turkish liras (TL),`` he said.
Sahin told reporters, ``the draft will bring forth performance control in the public sector. As a result, bureaucrats cannot refrain from their responsibilities any longer.``
The draft law, which was prepared aiming to ``set up a public pluralist and transparent management basing on human rights and freedoms``, targets re-structuring of organizations, and distribution of assignment and authorities of central administrations, local administrations, and other state organizations and institutions.
In case the draft becomes legalized, central administration will transfer some of its authorities and responsibilities to local administrations and provincial private administrations.
According to this assignments, authorities and responsibilities will be transferred to the most appropriate or close unit in state institutions and organizations.
State institutions and organizations will not be able to set up business enterprises, produce goods and services in areas where they were not authorized. Also, personnel, buildings, vehicles and equipment will not be allocated.
-ASSIGNMENTS OF CENTRAL MANAGEMENT-
The draft determines general principles and policies regarding public services, sets targets and goals in this respect, covers, evaluates and controls convenience of public services to law, determined policies and standards, provides fulfillment of services in coordination with local administrations.
The draft sets up mechanisms that provides communication and cooperation among professional institutions and non-governmental organizations.
Justice, defense, security, intelligence, foreign relations, foreign policy, finance, treasury, foreign trade, customs, services in markets, training and education, assignments and services about religious affairs, services about social security, population and citizenship procedures, emergency case administration, civilian defense, technical and financial services to local management are considered among the assignments of central administration.
Central administration units will not be able to set up organizations in local level for the assignments and services that are in field of responsibility.
Number of state ministries will be limited to 8 the most.
Ministries and other public institutions and organizations will not be able to set up organizations abroad apart from foreign ministry and Turkish Cooperation and Development Administration Chairmanship (TIKA).
-HIERARCHICAL POSITIONS AND TITLES-
The draft law regulates hierarchical positions and titles of central and rural offices of ministries and concerned institutions. Under the bill, there will be undersecretary, general director, chairmen of departments and branches.
The Foreign Ministry, Secretariat General of National Security Council, Undersecretariat of National Intelligence Organization and concerned institutions will not be subject to provisions regarding hierarchical positions and titles. Hierarchical positions and titles in these institutions will be regulated under the law on their foundation.
-INSPECTION AND CONSULTANCY-
Under the bill, inspection and control will be made according to basic principles of public management, annual aims and targets, performance indictors, service, standards of quality.
The bill foresees that education and guidance will be given importance and that reports will be announced to public opinion.
Internal and external inspection will be made in public institutions and organizations.
Accordingly, external inspection of institutions and organizations under authority of central administration, special administrations, municipalities and concerned organizations and local administrative units will be made by the Accounting Bureau or under principles set by the Accounting Bureau.
-HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT-
Civil servants and other public officials will be recruited or promoted by a competence examination or under principles of merit. Other public officials or employees working full or half time will be employed by a contract without any cadre.
The contract will write about duties, rights and liabilities and performance indicators of personnel.
-TERM IN OFFICE OF UNDERSECRETARIES, GENERAL DIRECTORS TO END AS GOVERNMENTS TERM IN OFFICE ENDS-
In accordance with the draft law, term in office of undersecretaries, general directors and chairmen of institutions bound to the government will automatically end as the term in office of the government ends. Such people will be appointed to ministry consultancy cadres preserving their rights.
-LIFTED PROVISIONS AND INSTITUTIONS-
Under the draft law, the law on formation of defense secretariats and the decree in the force of law on duties and foundation of Prime Ministry Supreme Inspection Board will be abolished. Also, the Directorates General of Rural Affairs will be abolished.
Foreign representations of ministries except Foreign Ministry and Turkish Cooperation Agency (TIKA) and other public institutions will be lifted and their cadres will be cancelled.
(AY-BRC-AÖ) 03.11.2003