For 34 years the Directorate General of Press and Information (BYEGM) ran press cards, accreditation and information services in Turkey. It closed in 2018. What happened?
The One-Sentence Basis of the Closure
Art. 122 of Decree-Law No. 703: Decree-Law No. 231 of 8/6/1984 on the Organisation and Duties of the Directorate General of Press and Information is repealed.
The name of Decree-Law No. 703 explains the logic of the change: the Decree-Law on Amending Certain Laws and Decree-Laws for the Purpose of Aligning with the Amendments Made to the Constitution. The presidential system of government adopted with the 2017 constitutional amendment dismantled the structure of directorates general attached to ministries.
What Came in Its Place?
| Period | Institution | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| 1984-2018 | The Directorate General of Press and Information | Decree-Law No. 231 (8/6/1984) |
| 2018- | The Directorate of Communications | Presidential Decree No. 14 (Official Gazette 24/7/2018-30488) |
Art. 1 of Presidential Decree No. 14 sets the purpose: to govern the establishment, duties, powers and responsibilities of the Directorate of Communications attached to the Presidency. We cover the whole Decree in the Decree No. 14 guide.
What Changed for a Journalist?
- The press card - the power was added as subparagraph (e) to Art. 7 of Presidential Decree No. 14 by Presidential Decree No. 66: issuing press cards to the members of Turkish and foreign press and broadcasting organisations. Practice runs under the 2023 Press Card Regulation.
- Accreditation - Art. 7(ç): the accreditation of foreign press and broadcasting organisations and their members, and the establishment of permanent and temporary press centres.
- The provinces - instead of the directorate general's provincial offices, a structure of regional directorates based in 19 centres arrived. We cover it in the regional directorates guide.
Traces of the Repealed Decree-Law Remain
Another Legacy: The Public Diplomacy Coordinatorship
Prime Ministry Circular No. 2010/3 (Official Gazette 30/1/2010-27478) had created a Public Diplomacy Coordinatorship under a Chief Adviser to the Prime Minister for inter-agency coordination in the field of public diplomacy, and gave the secretariat services to the Directorate General of Press and Information. Today that function belongs to the Department of Public Diplomacy under Art. 6 of Presidential Decree No. 14.
We cover it in the public diplomacy guide.
The Status of the BYEGM Directives
Documents with the old name - such as the BYEGM Legal Counsel Directive and the BYEGM Hosting and Reception Services Directive - still appear in the Directorate of Communications' set of legislation. They are historical references; the current organisation is Presidential Decree No. 14 and the regulations and directives resting on it.
Summary
- BYEGM closed as a result of the repeal of its basis, Decree-Law No. 231, by Art. 122 of Decree-Law No. 703.
- In its place the Directorate of Communications, attached directly to the Presidency, was founded by Presidential Decree No. 14 of 24/7/2018.
- The powers over press cards and accreditation passed to that Directorate.