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Chief Ombudsman Mr. Mehmet Akarca, togetherwith Ombudsmen Mr. Ertunç Erkan Balta and Mr. Sadettin Kalkan, and Secretary General of the Ombudsman Institution Mr. Mehmet Doğan, met with residents of Rize within the scope of the program titled “The Role of the Ombudsman Institution in Resolving Disputes between Citizens and the Administration.”

Governor of Rize Mr. İhsan Selim Baydaş, Mayor of Rize Mr. Rahmi Metin, representatives from civil society organizations, and local headmen attended the program.

Chief Ombudsman Mr. Mehmet Akarca, Governor Mr. İhsan Selim Baydaş, and Mayor Mr. Rahmi Metin gave speeches during the program.

In his address, Chief Ombudsman emphasized that listening to citizens, acting as a bridge to offer fair and equitable solutions to the problems they face, and making legal remedies more understandable and accessible for every citizen are among their most fundamental and indispensable duties.

“To date, we have received 251,738 complaints, and in the vast majority of cases, we have issued important decisions in favor of citizens.”

Chief Ombudsman emphasized that the Ombudsman Institution acts as a free advocate for citizens, adding:

“We act as a bridge between the administration and the public. When our citizens experience a grievance, they can lodge a complaint with us before resorting to judicial processes — completely free of charge. The process for lodging complaints is incredibly easy: through our website, through e-Government, by email or regular mail, or through provincial and district governorates. Even children under 18 can lodge complaints without needing parental consent. We have an Ombudsman responsible specifically for child rights. All complaints are finalized within six months at the latest. To date, we have received 251,738 complaints, and in the vast majority of cases, we have issued important decisions in favor of citizens. We have received 942 complaints from Rize alone, covering various areas, including the economy, taxation, public personnel, justice, and social services.”

Highlighting that the Ombudsman ınstitution has developed various projects for youth, children, and disadvantaged groups Chief Ombudsman added:

“We have been establishing Ombudsman Clubs at universities to raise awareness on justice and human rights among youth, and advancing digitalization efforts to simplify the application process to make the process faster, more transparent, and more user-friendly. Opening the path for citizens to seek legal remedies and standing by their side is our core mission. Therefore, we continue our public outreach programs and attach great importance on hearing from citizens on-site. Our goal is to ensure every citizen has access to fair, swift, and effective public services.”

Following the speeches, Chief Ombudsman Mr. Mehmet Akarca and Ombudsmen Mr. Ertunç Erkan Balta and Mr. Sadettin Kalkan listened to the complaints and requests of citizens during the “Ombudsman Meets the Public in Rize” program.

Chief Ombudsman Mr. Mehmet Akarca and Ombudsmen Conducted Official Visits in Rize

As part of the “Ombudsman Meets the Public in Rize” program, Chief Ombudsman Mr. Mehmet Akarca, Ombudsmen Mr. Ertunç Erkan Balta and Mr. Sadettin Kalkan, and Secretary General Mr. Mehmet Doğan paid official visits to Governor of Rize Mr. İhsan Selim Baydaş, and Chief Ombudsman signed the Governorate's Book of Honor.

Chief Ombudsman Mehmet Akarca and the delegation of the Ombudsman Institution paid a visit Mayor of Rize, Mr. Rahmi Metin.

Within the framework of the program, the delegation paid visits to the Head of Rize Bar Association Mr. Ümit Peçe, Rector of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yılmaz, and Chairman of the Rize Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mr. Şaban Aziz Karamehmetoğlu.