Ignoring 'austerity': 137 percent increase in Diyanet's expenditures
It has been learned that the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), which surpasses many ministries with its budget, purchased 802.4 million TL worth of goods in the January-June 2024 period and sent 266.1 million TL to foundations whose names were not disclosed.
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The Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), which surpasses many ministries with its budget and expenditures and frequently makes headlines with its luxury official vehicles, has belatedly released its financial statements for the first half of 2024.
Ignoring the public austerity package announced by Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek in May, the Diyanet, under the presidency of Ali Erbaş, continued to make record expenditures in the January-June 2024 period.
According to a report by Mustafa Bildircin from Birgün, the Diyanet, which began 2024 with a total budget of 91 billion 824 million 805 thousand TL, completed the first half of the year with expenditures totaling 46 billion 732 million 57 thousand TL.
137 PERCENT INCREASE IN EXPENDITURES COMPARED TO LAST YEAR
The total expenditure made by the Presidency of Religious Affairs in the first half of 2024 increased by 137 percent compared to the first half of 2023.
The Diyanet, which has approximately 150 thousand personnel, recorded personnel expenses alone at 40 billion 217 million 811 thousand TL.
RECORD EXPENDITURE
The Diyanet's expenditures for goods and services procurement and capital transfers were also calculated for the 46.7 billion TL spent in the January-June 2024 period. The Presidency's expenditure on goods and services procurement, which was 520 million 459 thousand TL in the first half of 2023, reached 802 million 456 thousand TL in the first half of 2024. The details of the goods and services procurement are listed by certain items as follows:
- Purchases of Goods and Materials for Consumption: 454 million 265 thousand TL
- Travel Allowances: 211 million 89 thousand TL
- Duty Expenses: 5 million 377 thousand TL
- Service Procurements: 106 million 603 thousand TL
A striking increase was also recorded in the Presidency's capital expenditures. Accordingly, the Diyanet's capital expenditure, which was 96 million 673 thousand TL in the first half of 2023, amounted to 266 million 151 thousand TL in the first half of 2024. It was reported that the increase in capital expenditure in one year was 175 percent.
APPROXIMATELY 200 MILLION TL TO 'NON-PROFIT' FOUNDATIONS
According to the financial report, in the January-June 2024 period, the Diyanet transferred a total of 197 million 864 thousand TL to foundations and associations operating under the name of “non-profit organizations.” It was stated that the money transferred to foundations and associations in the first half of 2024 increased by 40 percent compared to the first half of 2023.
RECORD BUDGET FOR PRINTING
The resources allocated by the Diyanet for book purchases and publication printing to be carried out in 2024 were also shared. The Presidency, which signs off on hundreds of millions of liras in printing expenses almost every year, is projected to spend 596 million 500 thousand TL on printing in 2024.