‘The Main Problem About the Civil Society-Local Government Collaboration: Distrust’

We’ve talked to Karşıyaka Mayor Cemil Tugay about the Civil Society Premises which is continuing to be constructed in the district, states that the main problem about the civil society-local government collaboration is 'distrust', and notes that the responsibility for enhancing collaboration and overcoming mutual distrust falls upon the local governments.

The Civil Society Premises constructed by Karşıyaka Municipality for civil society organizations to continue their activities will be put into service in the coming days. Karşıyaka Mayor Cemil Tugay stated that the premises is built to accommodate 250 civil society organizations and said: “We’ve set conditions for the institutions which will work there to carry out at least two joint activities with another CSO or with the municipality in the civil society premises as well as a social responsibility project. In this way, we aimed to enable CSOs to work more together with each other and to collaborate more with the local government. Such premises can activate civil society dynamics more organically.”

“The Healthiest way of Participation: Participation of CSOs”

Stating that there should be a participatory system not only during election periods but at all administrative stages in a truly democratic model, Tugay said: “The healthiest way of participation would be through civil society. For this reason, it is of important for CSOs and civil society to work together with public administration, especially with local governments. But unfortunately our system renders civil society ineffective and keeps its relations with the public and local governments weak, both traditionally and with the current legal regulations regarding civil society. I think this could be overcome to some extent if the current local governments would make an effort to collaborate with civil society more.” Tugay also noted that it would not be enough just to communicate with the civil society, and that the participation of the civil society should be ensured in the determination of the problems as well as the solution stages. 

“Main Responsibility Of Collaboration Falls To Local Governments”

Evaluating the current situation regarding civil society-local government collaboration, Cemil Tugay said that the main problem is ‘distrust’. Stating that this distrust is mutual, Tugay said, “Civil society thinks that even if it interrelates or puts itself across, things they express would not be taken into account or be brought to bear. And local governments are concerned that the civil society would become too involved in their decisions and that things would eventually go beyond their will. Overcoming this distrust is of course possible with dialogue and constructive communication. But information and data should always be the basis, and here, frankly, I think that civil society proceeds through information and data compared to local governments. Therefore I think an extra effort falls to local governments to get closer to civil society and to push this relationship a little bit more.”