TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF GOVERNMENT AND THE EU MEMBERSHIP PROCESSES: THE CASE OF TURKISH PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORMS

Back to Page Authors: Fatih Demir

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Keywords: transparency, accountability, European Union, Turkey

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Abstract: A series of principles have affected the public administration in candidate countries in the process of accession to the European Union (EU). Among them, this paper examines the principles of transparency and accountability of government. These interrelated principles bear critical importance for the proper functioning of accession process. Within this period, a number of regulations have been passed to ensure institutionalization of a transparent and accountable administration and new agencies have been established in Turkey. However, although essential steps were taken in terms of transparency and accountability before October 3rd, 2005, when the accession negotiations began, the reforms entered into a phase of deceleration thereafter. In this context, these reforms are examined in two periods, namely before and after October 2005, and analyzed under the following dimensions based on documents published by the EU and relevant public agencies in Turkey: (i) transparency and the right to information, (ii) financial transparency and accountability, and (iii) ethical principles for public officials.

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