DR. HASAN AKGÜN

Town twinning relations can be considered as a manner of strategy of good governance for local authorities and a partnership model implemented for development in the economic, cultural and social spheres. Through such relationships, local authorities from various parts of the world communicate with one another and are able to develop joint local and regional programs through a transnational collaboration drawing upon their respective experience.

Thanks to this initiative aiming to establish sustainable structures in order to bring together the local authorities in Turkey and EU member states to ensure a bilateral exchange of information and experience and to contribute to each other’s development, cities will be able to convey their knowledge and experience.

Within this scope, I believe that the present project can provide significant contributions to deepen the existing ties between the local authorities of our country and of the EU. I am also aware of the fact that an important step is being taken through this project with regard to the adoption of harmonization laws from the local level up to the national within the framework of the accession process between Turkey and the EU.