Budget increased by 151 percent: Diyanet's staff count exceeds the population of 11 cities

During the budget negotiations at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) General Assembly, the 2024 budget of the Presidency of Religious Affairs was increased by 151 percent to 91 billion 824 million 805 thousand TL.

According to the news in Sözcü; Saadet Party Istanbul MP Doğan Demir stated that Diyanet has 211 thousand 164 personnel.

Demir took the floor during the budget negotiations and spoke as follows:

IT HAS A LARGER BUDGET THAN 6 MINISTRIES

"The budget of Diyanet, which was 36 billion 468 million 836 thousand liras in 2023, has been increased by 151 percent in 2024 to 91 billion 824 million 805 thousand liras, and the Presidency's budget has also been increased by 85 percent. This budget allocated to Diyanet is larger than the budgets of 6 ministries, including the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ministry of Industry and Technology, and the Ministry of Trade; while we call for conscience, you continue to waste. Why don't you provide a 151 percent increase when raising pensions? Why don't you make it 151 percent when raising the minimum wage? Why don't you make a 151 percent increase when raising the salaries of civil servants and retired civil servants? Does this inflation only affect Diyanet's pocket?

STAFF COUNT EXCEEDS THE POPULATION OF 11 PROVINCES

The number of Diyanet personnel, which draws attention with its budget, is also not surprising. According to data from the end of last June, the number of Diyanet personnel is 211 thousand 164 people. The number of Diyanet personnel is more than the population of exactly 11 provinces in Turkey; it is more than the populations of Artvin, Ardahan, Bartın, Bayburt, Bilecik, Çankırı, Erzincan, Gümüşhane, Iğdır, Kilis, and Tunceli. While there are thousands of teachers waiting for appointment, while there are thousands of engineers waiting for appointment, and while there are thousands of municipal company workers waiting for permanent staff status, what this institution is doing is outright violating the rights of the people, it is heartless, it is unfair.

366 TIMES THE BUDGET ALLOCATED TO ALEVIS

The budget allocated to the Alevi-Bektashi Culture and Cemevi Presidency, which was established to serve the Alevi community that makes up approximately 1/4 of the country's population but was attached to the Ministry of Culture because you do not recognize Alevism as a faith, is 250 million 381 thousand liras; the budget allocated to Diyanet is exactly 366 times the budget allocated to Alevis; such an injustice does not exist anywhere else in the world.

STOP BUILDING MOSQUES IN ALEVI VILLAGES

There are approximately 90 thousand mosques in our country. The state provides services, personnel, and budget for all of them; these are all very good, we have no problem with this, but the fact is that there are also cemevis in this country. Services to cemevis have been left to the initiative of local governments. What is the reason for your insistence on building mosques in Alevi villages, friends? The place of worship for Alevis is the cemevi and the form of worship is the cem; you go and build mosques in Alevi villages, you appoint religious officials, there is no congregation, the mosque is completely empty, and the appointed personnel cannot do their job."

News Source: 12punto