Chief Ombudsman Mr. Mehmet Akarca, Ombudsman Mr. Şerif Yılmaz, and Secretary General of the Ombudsman Institution Mr. Mehmet Doğan met with the public within the scope of the “Ombudsman Meets the Public in Niğde” program.

The program was attended by the Governor of Niğde, Mr. Nedim Akmeşe, the Mayor of Niğde, Mr. Emrah Özdemir, the Rector of Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Prof. Dr. Mr. Hasan Uslu, directors of public institutions, representatives of civil society organizations, and numerous citizens.

In his speech, Mr. Akarca stated, “We are in Niğde to listen directly to our citizens, to see the problems they experience with public administrations firsthand, and to develop solutions together. The Ombudsman Institution is the voice of the citizens. It is a constitutional body affiliated with the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye. It examines all acts and actions of public administrations. It does so with an understanding of justice based on human rights. Our objective is clear: to protect rights, eliminate injustice, and strengthen good administration.”

Emphasizing that they oversee the functioning of public administrations in terms of law, fairness, and justice, Mr. Akarca stated, “Justice cannot be reduced solely to rules. It must also satisfy the conscience. Therefore, fairness review is of great importance. Fairness is a balancing mechanism. We bear the responsibility of being the voice of public conscience.”

Mr. Akarca also noted that children can lodge complaints with the Ombudsman Institution, stating, “Children under the age of 18 can lodge complaints without the consent of their parents. Of course, the complainant must exhaust all administrative remedies before lodging a complaint. They must first present their request to the administration. If the request is rejected or not satisfactorily addressed, a complaint can be lodged to us within six months. The applicant must also have a direct interest in the matter. In some cases, a single application can resolve the issue of up to one million people, completely free of charge.”

The Governor of Niğde, Mr. Nedim Akmeşe, also delivered a speech at the program.