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Chief Ombudsman Mr. Mehmet Akarca and Ombudsmen Mr. Ertunç Erkan Balta, Ms. Fatma Benli Yalçın, Mr. Sadettin Kalkan, Mr. Abdullah Cengiz Makas, and Mr. Özcan Yıldız and Secretary General Mr. Mehmet Doğan attended the meeting of the Joint Subcommittee, which consists of the members of the Petition Committee and the Human Rights Inquiry Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (GNAT).

The meeting—at which each Ministry was represented by a Deputy Minister—focused on increasing the rate of compliance of administrations with the recommendations issued by the Ombudsman Institution and ensuring the unity of implementation across the administration. In his speech, Chief Ombudsman underlined that the Institution aims to strengthen the bridge of trust between the administration and citizens and to ensure that an understanding based on justice and human dignity prevails in public services.

“The implementation of the recommendations of the Ombudsman Institution is a requirement of the rule of law.”

Emphasizing that the Institution does not carry out a classical oversight duty against the administration, Chief Ombudsman stated that, “We are an institution that provides guidance for the administration in terms of the principles of good administration, transparency, accountability and reaching out to citizens. We provide free advocacy for citizens, as well as providing a fully prepared case file for the administration. We act as a guide for the administration to act transparently within the law and to deliver public services to citizens faster, promptly, fairly, and in accordance with human rights.”

Highlighting that the Ombudsman Institution, which carries out investigations on behalf of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, derives its power from the Parliament, Chief Ombudsman Mr. Mehmet Akarca stated that, “The fact that our Institution ultimately issues recommendations is a result of the operation system of the Ombudsman. This is because Ombudsman ensures the adoption of correct behavior by the administration, based on the superior interest of the citizens, with a soft power, as opposed to coercion or obligation. It represents, in a manner of speaking, the smiling face of the state and the public. The fact that decisions issued by the Ombudsman Institution are recommendations is a result of the separation of powers. In this regard, the implementation of our recommendations is a requirement of the rule of law.”

“In addition to the legality inspections, the Ombudsman Institution also conducts examinations in terms of fairness and the principles of good administration.”

Noting that the Ombudsman Institution differs from other oversight bodies, Chief Ombudsman stated, “As a constitutional human rights institution, the Ombudsman Institution carries out examinations not only in terms of legality but also in terms of fairness and the principles of good administration. The Institution is not merely an oversight body; it also aims to contribute to a more orderly, efficient, and high-quality functioning of public administration in accordance with law, fairness, human rights, and the principles of good administration. It plays a guiding role to ensure that the acts, actions, attitudes, and behaviors of the administration are carried out in compliance with the rules of the legal system and in a manner that ensures citizen satisfaction.”

Chief Ombudsman emphasized that both the compliance with the Institution’s recommendations and the resolution of complaints through amicable settlement before reaching that stage would help reducing the number of lawsuits filed against the administration, while also increasing citizens' trust in the administrations.

Kilis Deputy Mr. Ahmet Salih Dal: “The Ombudsman Institution assumes a complementary role to the shortcomings of other oversight mechanisms.”

Speaking at the meeting, Kilis Deputy Mr. Ahmet Salih Dal stated that the Ombudsman Institution, which acts as a mediator between the administration and the citizens, assumes a complementary role in addressing the shortcomings of other oversight mechanisms.

Highlighting that, as a human rights institution, the Ombudsman Institution gives special attention to all sensitive issues in Türkiye such as human rights, the rights of children, women, and persons with disabilities, the right to information, the right to education, and violations of personal rights on the internet, Deputy Mr. Dal said: “The Institution carries out the necessary work to eliminate violations of rights in these areas. Through both its amicable settlement approach and its recommendations, the Institution strives to contribute to ensuring democracy and the rule of law, enhancing the quality of public services, and promoting a culture of seeking legal remedies.”

Deputy Ministers who attended the meeting also discussed the complaints lodged to the Institution, the recommendations issued by the Institution, and the efforts to improve the compliance rate of the administrations with these recommendations.