Presidential decree redefines art institutions’ status, professor requirement for rectors
ANKARA
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has issued nine more presidential decrees making extensive changes to public and autonomous institutions, reinstating the legal entity of State Theaters (DT) and the State Opera and Ballet (DOB) after the previous amendment in the related laws, which had been interpreted as an annulment.
With the new presidential decrees numbered four to 12 issued on July 15 and July 16, more than 52 institutions and associations were redefined, and the structures and authorities of supervisory and financial bodies were changed.
The previous presidential decree abolished all related laws concerning the legal entity of the DT and DOB, which had been interpreted as having shut down the institutions.
With the new decree, the legal entity of the state’s art institutions were reinstated as their legislative status was linked to the presidential authority and their directors will be able to be appointed outside of the institutions.
Changes to State Supervisory Council
The authorities, duties, and organizational structure of the State Supervisory Council (DDK), which had carried out the supervision of public and private institutions except the military and judiciary, were also changed.
The authority of the DDK was redefined as “the supreme inspection body of all auditory systems within the state structure.”
The council prepared reports on its subjects and conveyed them to the related authorities. With the decree, the DDK can now prepare reports on disciplinary inspections with the authority to issue criminal complaints of officials and dismiss officials in private, public, and military institutions, despite their level or rank.
The decree also includes military institutions in the council’s authorities, which were outside its supervisory jurisdiction. The General Staff, all service commands, military schools, troop, brigades, Turkish Armed Forces Foundation, and defense industry companies will be within the council’s inspection authority.
Supervisory financial bodies command under Albayrak
With the decrees, the Central Bank, Ziraat Bank, and Halkbank were linked to Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak.
The Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency, Capital Markets Board, Public Oversight Accounting and Auditing Standards Authority and Central Finance and Contracting Unit will also be overseen by Albayrak.
In previous laws, the institutions listed above had been related, linked, or affiliated with ministries. With this decree, all bodies have been defined as “related” to Albayrak.
Other institutions include the Revenue Administration and Directorate of Privatization Administration.
With this decree, the Saving Deposit Insurance Fund of Turkey was linked to the presidency.
Professor requirement for rectors
The decree also redefined the high education board and related laws.
According to the new decree, rectors will be appointed by the president among candidates who have more than three years of experience as a professor.
The annulment of articles related to the qualifications of the rectors with the previous decree were also interpreted as an annulment of the requirement of being a professor in order to become a rector.