Business as usual: Turkey's never-ending love of the bribe
Some 46% of Turkish businessmen believe corruption won’t end, while the country sinks lower in the global transparency index.
When corruption allegations against municipalities and governments come onto the agenda in Turkey, most of the public shrug them off, saying: “He may be embezzling but he works hard.” This of course is a significant indicator of how the people grant the right of corruption to their rulers.
Since the “this is my tax money” concept and demanding accountability have not yet been adopted fully by society, rulers have the freedom of doing what they want, including in public contract awards.
That the citizen doesn’t react is not new. People remember collapsing banks, imaginary exports and all other kinds of graft and bribery. When that is the case, then in the public's perception there is nothing wrong if those building roads, bridges or sidewalks are corrupt. Turks are very considerate people.
The role of suddenly increasing food and coal assistance packages on the eve of elections cannot be ignored. Those aware of Turkey’s political sociology know well that every handout before elections has a price. People have not forgotten how the Genc Party (Young Party) on Nov. 3, 2002, got 7.25% of the votes by distributing free doner kebab and ayran, the national yogurt drink.
