Economic Crimes in Turkey

How corruption, money laundering and tax evasion undermine democracy and stability in Turkey.

Economic crimes are illegal acts that involve the misuse of money or other financial resources for personal gain or advantage. Economic crimes include corruption, money laundering, tax evasion, fraud, embezzlement, bribery and extortion. Economic crimes are not only harmful to the economy and the public finances, but also to the rule of law, democracy and human rights.

Turkey is a country that faces serious challenges in combating economic crimes. According to the Corruption Perceptions Index 2020, Turkey ranked 86th out of 180 countries, with a score of 40 out of 100, indicating a high level of perceived corruption in the public sector. Turkey also ranked 64th out of 141 countries in the Money Laundering Index 2020, with a score of 5.6 out of 10, indicating a high risk of money laundering and terrorist financing. Moreover, Turkey ranked 130th out of 190 countries in the Ease of Doing Business Index 2020, with a score of 60.9 out of 100, indicating a low level of business regulation and protection.

The main causes of economic crimes in Turkey are the lack of transparency, accountability and independence in the public institutions, the politicization of the judiciary and the media, the erosion of democratic checks and balances, and the influence of organized crime groups and political elites. These factors create a culture of impunity and a climate of fear and intimidation for whistleblowers, journalists, activists and opposition members who expose or challenge economic crimes.

The main consequences of economic crimes in Turkey are the deterioration of the rule of law, democracy and human rights, the loss of public trust and legitimacy in the government and the institutions, the weakening of the social fabric and the civil society, the increase of social inequality and poverty, and the destabilization of the regional and international security and cooperation.

Conclusion

Economic crimes are a growing threat to the rule of law in Turkey. They undermine the democratic principles and values that are essential for a prosperous and peaceful society. To address this threat, Turkey needs to implement comprehensive reforms to enhance transparency, accountability and independence in the public sector, to strengthen the judiciary and the media, to restore democratic checks and balances, and to combat organized crime groups and political elites. Turkey also needs to cooperate with international organizations and partners to adhere to the global standards and norms on anti-corruption, anti-money laundering and tax compliance. Only by tackling economic crimes can Turkey ensure its economic development, social justice and political stability.

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