Parliament debates political ethics code
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Hurriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 18, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - While discussions continue over corruption allegations against municipalities and distribution of gifts to voters prior to local elections, Parliament has paved the way for preliminary work to establish a "political ethics committee."
A Council of Europe program titled, "Workshops and International Conference on Developments in Legislative and Judiciary Ethics," brought foreign experts and deputies together in Parliament on Monday.
"There are difficulties determining the limits of political ethics. Gift-giving is a characteristic of our society," Chairman of the Parliamentary Constitution Committee Burhan Kuzu said. He asked what limit should be set between a gift and a bribe.
"Who will be obliged to declare his wealth and what will be the extent for it? These questions should be answered," he said. "If an ethics board investigated a minister or a deputy and found him guilty, what kind of a punishment should be inflicted on him? Turkey should decide on all of these," Kuzu said.
The president of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians against Corruption, or GOPAC, John Williams, said everyone was responsible for their actions in a democratic society. "Professional behavior principles are comprised of principles that ensure elected officials’ serve for the public interest. There should be rules on unacceptable behavior and an investigation when a change in revenues, assets, liabilities and net values occurs. These determine the ethical values," Williams said.
Ethical standards vary
President of Public Servants Ethics Board Professor Bilal Eryılmaz complained about the lack of ethics standards in Turkey. "Since we come from different groups of society, our traditions in relation to ethics vary," Eryılmaz said, adding that they only discussed principles on the ethical behavior of public officials. "But there are many other institutions in this society, including the Turkish Armed Forces, or TSK, universities, Parliament and judiciary," he said. The proposal to set up a committee, which will be discussed in Parliament after the local elections, with aims to lay down principles on political ethics and to prevent corruption in state institutions. The program was organized with the support of the Public Officials’ Ethics Board and Parliament’s Speaker Office.
"There are difficulties determining the limits of political ethics. Gift-giving is a characteristic of our society," Chairman of the Parliamentary Constitution Committee Burhan Kuzu said. He asked what limit should be set between a gift and a bribe.
"Who will be obliged to declare his wealth and what will be the extent for it? These questions should be answered," he said. "If an ethics board investigated a minister or a deputy and found him guilty, what kind of a punishment should be inflicted on him? Turkey should decide on all of these," Kuzu said.
The president of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians against Corruption, or GOPAC, John Williams, said everyone was responsible for their actions in a democratic society. "Professional behavior principles are comprised of principles that ensure elected officials’ serve for the public interest. There should be rules on unacceptable behavior and an investigation when a change in revenues, assets, liabilities and net values occurs. These determine the ethical values," Williams said.
Ethical standards vary
President of Public Servants Ethics Board Professor Bilal Eryılmaz complained about the lack of ethics standards in Turkey. "Since we come from different groups of society, our traditions in relation to ethics vary," Eryılmaz said, adding that they only discussed principles on the ethical behavior of public officials. "But there are many other institutions in this society, including the Turkish Armed Forces, or TSK, universities, Parliament and judiciary," he said. The proposal to set up a committee, which will be discussed in Parliament after the local elections, with aims to lay down principles on political ethics and to prevent corruption in state institutions. The program was organized with the support of the Public Officials’ Ethics Board and Parliament’s Speaker Office.