Minister hits back at cronyism claims
EDUCATION Minister Cemal Özyiğit on Tuesday hit back at claims that a man he appointed as a director in his department would retire within a year and draw a pension based on his final salary.
He reacted angrily during a debate in Parliament to claims by main opposition National Unity Party (UBP) MP Menteş Gündüz that the four-party coalition was “saying one thing and doing another” after it had vowed to get tough on cronyism.
Mr Gündüz accused the government of breaking a promise not to create any new “political adviser” positions. Mr Özyiğit, leader of the Social Democratic Party (TDP), said the civil servant in question — whom he did not name during the debate, but was subsequently identified as former Cyprus Turkish Secondary School Teachers’ Trade Union (Ktoeös) head Adnan Eraslan — was a “senior headmaster” who had been prevented from taking up the job until now for “political reasons”.
He said the post fell outside the scope of political appointees and was one of a number of vacant senior roles being filled at the National Education and Culture Ministry.
“The people that we have appointed are experienced people,” he said. “Our aim is to benefit from their experience . . . we have not created [political advisers] and we will not.”
Mr Özyiğit admitted the director “may have to retire in a year”, but stressed that the process would be “regulated” under proposed changes to the law. He said he and his coalition partners were “determined to implement public sector reforms”, adding that no new political positions had been created since they came to power in February.
Mr Özyiğit said the government had approved a draft Bill that would “put an end” to the system of political appointments to the civil service, which he said was expected to be debated and voted on in Parliament soon.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay confirmed following a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that he and his ministerial colleagues had agreed on amendments to the Senior Administrators Act.
Existing advisers would be “put to use” until they reach retirement age, he said, and changes to the law would also cover “those appointed in the past” — an apparent reference to claims that former advisers are still on the state’s payroll.