Ali Erbaş ignores Mehmet Şimşek: Diyanet spends a staggering amount on 2025 calendars

Despite the public austerity measures announced by Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek in May, the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) continues to engage in spending that could be described as 'wasteful'.

Under the leadership of Ali Erbaş, Diyanet has this time spent a fortune on calendars for 2025.

According to a report by Deniz Ayhan from Sözcü, Diyanet, which spent 44 million 155 thousand TL on calendars for 2024 while advising citizens that “Hunger and poverty are a test,” has now spent 61 million 677 thousand TL for 3 million 115 thousand calendars.

Some of Diyanet's recent expenditures include the following:

“An Audi A8 vehicle was allocated to the President of Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş for 2024. Following public backlash, Diyanet parked the Audi in accordance with austerity measures. Erbaş currently has 3 Mercedes vehicles, one TOGG, and one Mercedes Vito as official vehicles.

Diyanet chooses 5-star thermal and spa hotels for its meetings. The World Islamic Scholars Consultation Summit was held at a luxury hotel in Şişli, Istanbul, where the nightly rate is 6 thousand lira.

Diyanet paid 7 million 885 thousand 525 TL for food supplies this year at the Hafız Ali Haydar Özak Religious Specialization Center in Trabzon.

While approximately 2.5 million people are waiting in line for the Hajj, figures within the Diyanet administration go on the Hajj using special visas known as 'Mücamele'. Seher Erbaş, the wife of the President of Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş, has also gone on the Hajj 5 times without being selected by lottery.”

News Source: 12punto