Erdoğan vows no tolerance for public sector abuse

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has vowed that public sector officials who abuse their duties will face consequences, while promising to promote ethical governance.

“We have never and will never show mercy to anyone who abuses their duty and authority, fails to meet the nation's expectations... wastes public assets and lays hands on the treasury,” Erdoğan said on May 26 at an event in Ankara.

He pledged zero tolerance for officials who "oppress citizens by seizing power from their seat."

"The state means order. It is the mechanism that serves the citizens. We will not allow the rights of even a single member of our nation to be defeated," he said.

"We expect our public personnel to show utmost sensitivity in this matter. Everyone who abides by the law and ethics has a place above the head of this nation."

The event included the signing of a protocol aimed at raising ethical awareness in the public sector.

"I would like to remind every brother and sister in public service, regardless of their position and title, that these are temporary and are the trust of the nation. The main thing is to receive the prayers of the nation," he stated.

"Ethical rules do not only refer to the regulations to be observed by public officials, but also provide the consciousness of serving the state and the nation."

The president attributed Türkiye's stability in public administration to a focus on knowledge, experience and merit.

"Our state experience has a deep-rooted history of more than 2,000 years. We are confronted with two realities. The first is that our ancestors had the founding will and the spirit of independence. Even in the most desperate times, they established new states. This tradition reveals how skillful our nation is in regrouping," he said.

"The second is the human-centered approach. All the flags we have raised in the skies of our history have been symbols of goodness, peace, virtue and faith on earth."

Erdoğan also praised his administration’s efforts to improve public service delivery.

"We have suffered a lot from the bureaucratic oligarchy, from those who told us to come back tomorrow," he said.

"The arrogant made our nation vomit blood for years. We have lived through the days when terrorist organizations such as FETÖ targeted the future of our nation."

Erdoğan said his administration "worked day and night" to raise service standards, increase efficiency in the public sector through constitutional and legislative amendments and expand the ways to seek rights.

He cited 4.59 million applications to the country's presidential communication center (CİMER) in 2024 and efforts to crack down on criminal organizations as evidence of progress.