Liberal Party Spokesperson Engin Avcı: “When a Nation’s Priorities Change, Its Future Changes Too”

Liberal Party Spokesperson Engin Avcı has issued a strong critique of what he described as a fundamental shift in Türkiye’s public administration priorities over the past two decades. Recalling the ruling AK Party’s founding pledge to combat the “three Ys”—poverty, corruption, and prohibitions—Avcı argued that nearly 25 years later, the country’s agenda has moved away from development-oriented policies toward issues that raise concerns about justice, freedoms, and governance.

According to Avcı, the promises made during the party’s early years focused on improving citizens’ welfare, strengthening the fight against corruption, and expanding fundamental freedoms. He maintained that the current state of the country has prompted renewed public debate over whether those commitments have been fulfilled.

“The Reality of Poverty and Corruption Speaks for Itself”

Avcı stated that the current situation regarding poverty and corruption is evident to the public, but devoted particular attention to what he described as the growing emphasis on restrictions and judicial measures.

Referring to official figures announced by the Minister of Justice, Avcı noted that legal proceedings had been initiated against 720,338 citizens and questioned why such statistics were being presented as a measure of success. He argued that many of these lengthy judicial cases ultimately resulted in decisions of non-prosecution or acquittal, while some convictions were later found by the European Court of Human Rights to involve violations of fundamental rights.

He asserted that presenting the sheer number of investigations as an achievement does not reflect the quality of justice delivered or strengthen public confidence in the legal system.

“Blocking 2,700 Social Media Accounts Should Not Be a Success Indicator”

Avcı also referred to another government official’s statement highlighting that access restrictions had been imposed on 2,700 social media accounts within a single month.

He argued that such figures should not be celebrated as administrative accomplishments but instead examined from the perspective of freedom of expression and democratic standards. According to Avcı, narrowing the space for public debate weakens trust between citizens and public institutions.

“Government Priorities Have Shifted”

The Liberal Party spokesperson said he had recently reviewed the agendas of governors, district governors, and mayors across the country. Among the most prominent items, he noted, were reports detailing the number of stray dogs collected by local authorities.

Avcı contrasted this with the priorities of public administration 10 to 15 years ago, when attention was largely focused on highways, bridges, dams, organized industrial zones, expanding classroom capacity, tourism investments, and infrastructure projects in rural communities.

He said these initiatives were regularly monitored, with public officials expected to provide both updates and accountability regarding projects designed to support economic growth and national development.

“A Nation’s Future Depends on Its Priorities”

Concluding his remarks, Avcı argued that the indicators now presented as signs of success—such as the number of criminal investigations launched, social media accounts blocked, or stray animals collected—illustrate a significant transformation in the country’s administrative priorities.

He emphasized that governments should concentrate on strengthening the rule of law, encouraging investment, supporting production, and improving citizens’ living standards rather than highlighting restrictive measures as policy achievements.

“When a nation’s priorities change, its future changes too,” Avcı concluded.