Erhürman: I Did Not Sign Off on Every Appointment Sent to Me

Speaking to Kanal Sim, Erhürman said the country faced serious weaknesses in oversight and standards not just in a particular field, but across the board.

He said recent serious incidents had demonstrated the consequences these shortcomings could have.

“Merit, standards and oversight have become vital words for the administrative structure. I hope they will not be discussed for 15 days after an incident and then disappear again,” Erhürman said.

Emphasizing that merit was at the heart of the issue, Erhürman said it would not be possible to establish proper standards or carry out effective oversight without qualified personnel.

Referring to the Presidency’s approach to appointments, Erhürman said:

“The Presidency has a responsibility. It will assess appointments not only in terms of their legality, but also merit. I did not sign every document that came to me. There were appointment choices I did not sign and which were subsequently changed.”

Erhürman said it was not enough for a person to be legally eligible for appointment, stressing that candidates’ professional experience, expertise and seniority must also be appropriate for the positions they would hold.

He said ministerial appointments fell within the scope of political discretion and that the public would judge such choices. For appointments at the technocratic and bureaucratic levels, however, he stressed the importance of merit-based scrutiny.