Extensive Legal and Administrative Regulations in the Official Gazette: What Does the May 16, 2025 Issue Bring?

The Official Gazette of the Republic of Turkey, number 32902 dated May 16, 2025, which publishes official and binding legal texts and critical announcements from public institutions, has been published. Today's issue, containing a comprehensive Law, important Presidential Decisions, regulations, communiqués, and numerous announcements, reveals the current and important developments in Turkey's legislative, executive, and administrative functioning in full detail. These regulations, which concern a wide range of people from the business world to academia, from public personnel to citizens, bring new implementations and opportunities in various sectors.

A Multifaceted Law from the Legislative Section:

One of the most striking developments in today's Official Gazette is Law No. 7547 on Amending Certain Laws and Decree Law No. 375, which has entered into force by making significant changes in multiple laws and one decree law. One of the important regulations brought by the Law is related to "Minister Advisor" positions within the scope of Law No. 657 on Civil Servants dated 14/7/1965. With the new regulation, "Minister advisor" positions can be established or appointments can be made to existing positions in the Ministries "to advise the minister on matters of special importance and priority". These advisors will work directly under the relevant Minister, and as the most critical change, appointments to these positions will not be bound by the general and strict provisions of Law No. 657 regarding appointments, exams, grade progression, and promotion. This situation allows ministers to appoint advisors for the duration of their term, with exemption from certain procedures, bringing a different dimension to the appointment processes in the public bureaucracy. The Law has a multifaceted structure that can also affect different legal areas, including changes in "certain laws," including Decree Law No. 375.

Structural and Operational Decisions from the Executive and Administrative Section:

Presidential Decisions announce the important administrative decisions taken by the executive organ through the Official Gazette, revealing important steps in the functioning of the state. Decision No. 9818 in today's issue includes comprehensive steps aimed at restructuring the higher education system. With this Decision, decisions were made regarding the Establishment, Closing, and Changing the Names of Certain Faculties, Institutes, and Vocational Schools Attached to Higher Education Institutions. This Decision covers a wide range of universities, including many prominent ones such as Istanbul, Ankara, Ege, Gazi, Hacettepe, Middle East Technical University (METU), Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ), Izmir Democracy, Karabük, Kocaeli, Manisa Celal Bayar, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman, Necmettin Erbakan, Ondokuz Mayıs, Sakarya, Selçuk, Sivas Cumhuriyet, Tekirdağ Namık Kemal, Trakya, Van Yüzüncü Yıl and Yıldız Technical Universities. These structural changes include important administrative regulations such as the establishment, merger, or closure of units at the faculty, institute, and vocational school level in the academic and administrative organization of the relevant universities, and are part of a strategic transformation in the field of higher education.

A notable development concerning the maritime and transportation sector is the repeal of the Regulation on the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Merchant Ships with Decision No. 9819. The repeal of this Regulation dated 1969 can be interpreted as an important step taken with the aim of adapting maritime legislation regarding dangerous goods transportation to current international standards and technological developments, or bringing a more modern regulation in its place.

Decision No. 9820, which concerns the personnel engaged in education and training activities within the Ministry of Family and Social Services and the relevant remuneration principles, has determined the new principles regarding the Amendment to the Principles Regarding Course and Additional Course Hours of the Ministry. This regulation will bring updates to the course loads and additional course remuneration principles of the Ministry personnel engaged in education or undertaking additional course duties.

In addition, a Memorandum regarding Deputy President Mr. Cevdet YILMAZ Acting as President during the foreign program of President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as well as Presidential Circular No. 2025/8 Regarding National Accessibility Day, which aims to increase social awareness, were also published in today's issue.

Detailed Regulations with Regulations, Circulars, and Communiqués:

One of the other regulations published in the Executive section is the amendments made to the Trakya University Undergraduate Education, Training, and Exam Regulation. These amendments will update the procedures and principles regarding the undergraduate education and training processes, exam applications, academic calendar, and other relevant procedures of Trakya University, directly concerning university students and academic staff.

A regulation expected to have significant effects on the economy and trade is Communiqué No. 2025/3 Regarding Safeguard Measures in Imports, published by the Ministry of Trade. This Communiqué details the implementation of additional customs duties or quantitative restrictions as safeguard measures taken to prevent or reduce the negative effects of increased imports on domestic production. This Communiqué is of great importance for importers and domestic producers in the relevant sector. Various decisions of the Privatization Administration have also been announced in the Official Gazette, providing updated information regarding tender or transfer processes for public assets being privatized.

Emsal Decisions from the Judicial Section:

The Judicial Section of the Official Gazette contains important decisions of the 7th and 9th Civil Chambers of the Court of Cassation. These decisions are of great importance in terms of setting precedents in similar legal disputes and shedding light on the interpretation and application of the law for lower courts and relevant parties.

Announcement Section: Treasury of Opportunities, Prohibitions, and Official Announcements:

The announcement section of the Official Gazette covers the widest area in terms of reflecting the daily activities of public institutions and containing announcements that offer job and opportunity potential for various sectors.

Decisions on Prohibition from Participating in Tenders: Decisions regarding prohibition from participating in public tenders, issued by various Ministries, affiliated institutions, and public administrations against firms that do not meet the specified conditions or act contrary to the legislation while participating in public tenders, have been announced. These announcements are important for the transparency and reliability of public procurement processes.

Public Tender Announcements: The announcement section of the Official Gazette is full of hundreds of tender announcements published by public institutions. These tenders cover a wide range of areas such as construction work, service procurement, goods procurement, rental, and sales. From tender and rental/sale announcements of municipalities (e.g., cleaning services in Beylikdüzü, park construction in Tunceli), to massive procurement and service purchases of large state institutions (e.g., feed material procurement by General Directorate of Agricultural Enterprises (TİGEM), railway line maintenance work by TCDD, construction and repair of irrigation canals by State Hydraulic Works (DSİ), sapling procurement and forestry services by General Directorate of Forestry, vehicle rental and maintenance services by General Directorate of Security), to tenders for various laboratory materials, renovation, and repair for universities (e.g., Hacettepe, Ege), tenders have been announced in a wide range. These announcements offer significant business volume for private sector firms. In addition, decisions on prohibition from participating in tenders have also been announced for transparency.

Personnel Recruitment Announcements: Personnel recruitment announcements for those who want to pursue a career in the public sector are also included in this section of the Official Gazette. Higher education institutions such as Şırnak University and Bursa Uludağ University have announced that they will recruit a large number of academic staff in various academic titles (Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Research Assistant, etc.) in different faculties, departments, and branches. These announcements open the way for new participants in the academic community.

Various Announcements: This section includes official announcements on various topics that concern the public, such as announcements of the establishment and registration of associations and foundations, announcements of notifications and sales from courts, decisions of absence, announcements regarding lost identities and other official documents, invitations to general assembly meetings, and the announcement of expert witness and translator lists.

Current Financial Data: Current exchange rates determined by the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey and the daily values of Government Domestic Debt Instruments have also been announced, providing official and reliable data on economic indicators.

The Official Gazette dated May 16, 2025, while bringing direct changes in the legal structure with the newly published Law, also brings various regulations from university restructuring to maritime transportation, from personnel principles to import regime in the executive area with Presidential decisions and regulations. While shedding light on the application of law with judicial decisions, it continues to provide the most current and detailed information on the official functioning of Turkey by detailing the daily operations of public institutions, tender processes, and personnel recruitment opportunities, especially with its comprehensive announcement section.

You can access the full Official Gazette here: https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2025/05/20250516.pdf