New era for TGA management: They will be responsible

The Constitutional Court has invalidated some items of Law No. 7183, the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) law.

Since its establishment with law through the 2019, the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), has been a subject of disputes. The Constitutional Court has now ruled that some of the provisions in the TGA law are 'incompatible with the Constitution' and thus, they have been nullified. Consequently, this marks the beginning of a new era for the TGA.

The provisions that exempted the TGA from the oversight of the Court of Accounts, public procurement law, and state civil service law was invalidated by the Constitutional Court. In addition, items that determined organizational structure, raising  and using fund of TGA also abolished. 

From now on, the TGA will have to organize tenders for service procurement, subject itself to the oversight of the Court of Accounts, follow the relevant laws for personnel recruitment, and clearly define the procedures and principles regarding its organizational structure, operations, resource generation, and utilization in a transparent manner.

Decisions will no longer be made solely by a select group but will require the participation of all members of the management. Why? Because each member of the TGA management will be responsible for the decisions they approve with their signature. The era when the institution was audited solely by independent audit firms is now over. If any irregularity or wrongful action occurs, all board members who have signed under that decision will be held accountable.

As known, the objections raised towards the TGA have not been against the establishment of such an agency but rather its structure and functioning. It was not acceptable for a tax-collecting institution to be devoid of oversight and transparency.

It is worth mentioning that the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, does not hold an official position in the TGA. As of October 2022, presidency of TGA transferred from minister to vise minister who responsible for General Directorate of Promotion. Nevertheless, Minister Ersoy continues to attend TGA board meetings.