ANKARA: Turkey plans to bring its economic management team under one roof to improve collaboration between the Treasury and Finance Ministry, if President Tayyip Erdogan is re-elected in next month’s elections, officials said.

The plan will see the government combine the bulk of the economic management team under a new Treasury or Finance Ministry, officials familiar with the matter told Reuters, declining to be identified.

The changes are aimed at streamlining government and will see the number of ministries cut to 14 from 21 now, the officials said. Turks go to the polls on June 24 for snap parliamentary and presidential polls. If re-elected, Erdogan will gain sweeping executive powers narrowly backed in a referendum last year.

One source said the moves would simplify dealings with government bodies, such as applications for investment incentives for businesses in Turkey.

“Under the current system, you apply to a ministry for incentives and another ministry to follow up with the incentive, another ministry for the payment of the incentive, and finally another ministry for the inspection,” the source said.

“This logic isn’t right.” Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek oversees the economy, although the economy, finance, trade and development ministers all hold economy-related positions.

Under the plan, the Development Ministry, the Customs and Trade Ministry, parts of the Economy Ministry, and the tourism branch of the Culture and Tourism Ministry will be folded into to the new ministry, the officials said.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2018