Nesw

Mr. Mehmet Akarca, who was elected as the new Chief Ombudsman of Türkiye, following the election at the GNAT General Assembly, officially took over the position of the Chief Ombudsman from Mr. Şeref Malkoç during a the handover ceremony held at the Ombudsman Institution.

The Ceremony was attended by the President of the Constitutional Court Mr. Kadir Özkaya, President of the Court of Cassation Mr. Ömer Kerkez, President of Turkish Court of Accounts Mr. Metin Yener, the members of the Petition Committee of the Grand National Assembly (Parliament) of Türkiye (GNAT) Ms. Sunay Karamık, President of Supreme Election Council Mr. Ahmet Yener, Deputy Secretary General of the GNAT Mr. Naim Çoban, Ombudsman of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Ms. İlkan Varol, members of the parliament and many other guests.

"“We will move forward by setting new goals.”"

The Chief Ombudsman Mr. Mehmet Akarca stated that the Ombudsman Institution is one of the important mechanisms for seeking legal remedies, and it supervises and examines the act and actions of the administration.

Emphasizing that the Ombudsman Institution has gained the trust of the citizens through its work and played an active role in solving their problems, Mr. Akarca said, “As of 2024, nearly 250 thousand applications have been concluded within a six-month period, enabling our citizens to find legal remedies without the need to go to court.”

He further stated that they are committed to facilitate citizens regarding the process of seeking legal remedies and enhance institutional trust, adding, “The Ombudsman Institution has gained the trust of citizens through its work and has been instrumental in solving their problems.”

Emphasizing that the Ombudsman Institution has become a very powerful institution for seeking legal remedies, Akarca stated, “We will strive to move forward by setting new goals, building upon the successful work of the Ombudsman Institution during the previous term. We will continue to reach out especially to the youth, children, and vulnerable groups to promote the culture of seeking legal remedies. We will implement projects to raise awareness of seeking legal remedies by further developing the Ombudsman Clubs established at universities. To reach all segments of our society, we will maintain our “Ombudsman Meets the Public” meetings and on-site activities to listen to the public. Additionally, we will continue to play an active role in national and international platforms, advocating for an administration approach that is sensitive to human rights grounded in the rule of law. By adopting innovative steps in digitalization and accessibility, we will make the application processes faster, more transparent and more user-friendly. The Ombudsman Institution of Türkiye will continue to stand as a bridge between the state and the nation, resolving complaints and ensuring public peace and trust.

Mr. Malkoç: The important thing is to be beneficial to this beautiful nation and to protect its rights and law.

Mr. Şeref Malkoç stated that he had completed his 8-year term of office and be handing over his office to Mr. Akarca. Emphasizing that the Ombudsman Institution is one of the youngest institutions in Türkiye, Mr. Malkoç remarked, “What matters most is our dear nation. The important thing is to serve this beautiful nation and protect its rights and law.”

Stating that with tens of thousands of decisions it has issued, the Ombudsman Institution has played a crucial role in safeguarding the rights of citizens against the administration while providing guidance to the administrations, Mr. Malkoç added, “Within this framework, we have become a bridge between our citizens and the state, resolving problems. We have defended the rights of our people against the powerful administration through mediation and arbitration. Additionally, we have lightened the workload of the courts.”

Reporting that the compliance rate with the Ombudsman Institution's decisions has increased from 20% to 80%, Mr. Malkoç highlighted that this rate now surpasses the European Union average.

Mr. Malkoç stated that they are members of 9 Ombudsman Institutions in the world and added, “We are on the boards of Asian Ombudsman Association (AOA) and European Ombudsman Institute (EOI). We also established the Association of Ombudsmen and National Human Rights Institutions of Turkic States (TURKOMB) in Bursa, Türkiye, with Türkiye holding its presidency. Ombudsmen worldwide hold the Ombudsman Institution of Türkiye in high regard.”

Following the speech, Mr. Malkoç and Mr. Akarca exchanged gifts, and the official handover of the office took place.

Additionally, Mr. Abdullah Cengiz Makas, Mr. Ertunç Erkan Balta, Ms. Fatma Benli Yalçın, and Mr. Özcan Yıldız, who have been elected as Ombudsmen by the Joint Commission of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, took over their offices from Ms. Celile Özlem Tunçak, Mr. Arif Dülger, and Mr. Yahya Akman.