Nepotism, cronyism, favouritism and blatant disregard for conflicts of interest have never been so widespread and shameless in Turkey.<\/p>\n
By revealing the extent of patronage during the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), the main opposition Republican People\u2019s Party (CHP) has shown us how an effective opposition can fulfil the vital role of scrutiny.<\/p>\n
At a news conference<\/a> on Sunday, CHP deputy chairman and spokesman Professor Haluk Ko\u00e7 gave specific details of improper hiring practices in state agencies, with names, dates, institutions and relationships to government officials. \u00a0He provided a list of 85 individuals appointed to influential civil service positions without going through the compulsory State Personnel Examination (KPSS).<\/p>\n \u201cSons who did not pass the KPSS have all of a sudden been appointed to state positions through the private secretariat of governors\u2019 offices. This was not sufficient, after they were employed by the state, sons, relatives and friends were engaged in new organized work. The sons and relatives who found their monthly salaries low were transferred to higher positions where they would be paid better,\u201d Professor Ko\u00e7 said<\/a>.<\/p>\n As well as various posts in the government ministries, lucrative positions in state agencies such as Atomic Energy Agency (TAEK),Telecommunications Directorate (T\u0130B), Energy Market Regulatory Agency (EPDK), Turkish Radio and Television (TRT), Dormitory Administration\u2019s (YURTKUR) and \u00a0Overseas Turks and Kin Communities Agency were filled with people who had close connections to government officials.<\/p>\n Partisanship and favoritism to friends and relatives have always existed in Turkey. However, during the 12- year rule of the Justice and Development Party, they have become systematic and endemic with an Islamist agenda. \u00a0Until their public show-down late last year, both the AKP and the Fethullah G\u00fclen network were using their levers of power to capture the control of the state institutions.<\/p>\n Followers of the Pennysylvenia-based preacher Fethullah G\u00fclen had \u00a0penetrated the police, judiciary and prosecution service. They controlled several big businesses, media organisations and educational establishments. \u00a0Close supporters were appointed in key positions. Others were provided with answers to questions in entrance exams. Conferring favours on one another created a strong network of allies.<\/p>\n Even though, the government now calls them a parallel state, a terrorist organisation, all of these practises and more by the G\u00fclen movement had existed under the watch of the AKP government.<\/p>\n The bitter struggle we are witnessing between the two Islamist camps in Turkey today is nothing but a fight over their share of the cake.<\/p>\n The winner so far is the government. Not only it has the power to use levers in order to control hiring and contracting processes in the state organizations but it can also successfully manipulate the economic system in the country to create rents.<\/p>\n