Governance rising from Tepebaşı to European standards: Success achieved with the ELoGE award
Berfin Koç
Tepebaşı Municipality of Eskişehir was awarded the “European Label of Governance Excellence” (ELoGE) by the Council of Europe. In an exclusive interview with Mayor Ahmet Ataç, the story behind this achievement and the democratic bridges Eskişehir has built with Europe were discussed.
Tepebaşı Municipality once again proved that it implements the highest standards of transparency, accountability, and participation in local governance. By successfully fulfilling the 12 principles established by the Council of Europe, Tepebaşı earned the ELoGE award granted to municipalities demonstrating excellence in governance, further strengthening Eskişehir’s place on the map of European local administrations. Speaking about the achievement, Mayor Ahmet Ataç emphasized that the foundation of this success lies in a “people-oriented approach to municipal governance.”
The key to success: Sustainable governance
Ahmet Ataç stated that the biggest factor behind receiving the European Label of Governance Excellence (ELoGE) was the institutional discipline maintained over many years. Ataç summarized the municipality’s vision by saying, “This award is the result of a long journey. The most important factor has been listening to the voices of our citizens in every step we take and aligning our governance processes with European standards.”
Ataç reminded that the award was evaluated based on 12 core principles and numerous sub-criteria, stating that the area in which they invested the greatest effort was establishing a balance between “effectiveness and efficiency” and “participation.” He noted that ensuring direct public involvement in decision-making processes and supporting these processes with digital transparency required a serious transformation. He added that they viewed these criteria not as obstacles, but as opportunities for development.
A model for Türkiye: The example of Tepebaşı
Ahmet Ataç stated that Tepebaşı’s achievement would also serve as a guide for local governments across Türkiye and offered the following advice to his colleagues: “Municipal governance is not only about making physical investments. When you place democratic values and transparency at the center, success follows naturally. By combining local dynamics with universal criteria, we are able to achieve positive results.”
A bridge to Europe built from the local level
Finally, addressing the role of local governments in relations with the European Union, Ahmet Ataç emphasized that Tepebaşı serves as a strategic bridge in this regard. “We do not see international relations solely as the responsibility of central governments; on the contrary, local administrations are the most fundamental platforms where democratic values meet the public. The ELoGE award demonstrates that Tepebaşı’s institutional structure is fully aligned with European standards of local governance. Thanks to this alignment, we are able to maintain our social and cultural interaction with the European Union on a much stronger, more sustainable, and healthier foundation,” he said.
Eskisehir ın Europe 