Openness and Accountability in Turkey in the Context of Accession to the European Union

A series of principles have affected the public administration in Turkey in the process of accession to the European Union (EU). Among these principles, openness and accountability constitute the subject of this study. Openness, transparency and accountability of government bear critical importance for the proper functioning of the accession process. Within this period, a number of regulations have been passed to ensure institutionalization of an open and accountable administration, resulting in the establishment of new agencies in Turkey. Although essential steps were taken in terms of openness and accountability before October 3, 2005, when the accession negotiations began, the reforms entered into a phase of deceleration thereafter. Therefore, the reforms appear to have been affected by the development course of Turkey-EU relations and have slowed down as the relations deteriorated.