TOGG sidelined, Parliament parking lot turns into a luxury gallery: Ministers' love for Mercedes and Audi continues

Budget negotiations at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), which began on October 22, have concluded.

Ministers who attended the budget negotiations delivered their presentations. While it was observed that the ministers, who call on citizens to tighten their belts at every opportunity, arrived at the Parliament parking lot in the latest model Mercedes and Audi vehicles, it was learned that only 3 ministers use TOGG.

According to a report by Sözcü, the ministers, who had raced to pose with the TOGG allocated to them by calling it 'domestic and national,' have returned to their Mercedes and Audi official vehicles.

“REMAINED IN SPEECHES’’

CHP Karabük Deputy Cevdet Akay stated, “Despite the austerity circulars issued and the public pressure that has formed, the government never gives up on luxury and ostentation. This passion is ingrained in their souls. Those who give speeches about being 'domestic and national' are far from sincere. There is a government that cuts from the citizen's throat and spends the citizen's money for its own pleasure,'’ and added:

“I watched carefully during the budget negotiations and saw that all of them, except for 3 ministers, came to Parliament in the latest model luxury Mercedes vehicles. The ministers' love for luxury cars still continues. On one hand, the government talks about austerity, while on the other, it violates the very circulars it publishes. Austerity is only valid for the citizen. Starting with the Palace, ministers, bureaucrats, and advisors do not economize on prestige. After all, the state's wealth is bottomless... The words 'domestic and national' remain only in their speeches.”

THREE MINISTERS RIDE TOGG

It was observed that only Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdülkadir Uraloğlu, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alpaslan Bayraktar, and Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş still use TOGG as their official vehicle. All other ministers ride in the latest model luxury German-made Mercedes. There are a total of 17 ministers in the cabinet, including Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz.

The budget negotiations turned into a complete parade of luxury cars. The ministers who came to the negotiations in Mercedes official vehicles gave up on the domestic and national TOGG quickly.

THERE ARE 119 THOUSAND VEHICLES, ONLY A THOUSAND WILL BE SOLD

Responding to a question from CHP Manisa Deputy Ahmet Vehbi Bakırlıoğlu, Minister Mehmet Şimşek replied, “Currently, over a thousand vehicles have been collected. They will be sold soon.” Bakırlıoğlu said, “Austerity remained in words,” and added:

"Excess vehicles were to be sold through the Privatization Administration. That is only a thousand in total. There are approximately 120 thousand vehicles in the public sector, only 1,000 were deemed excessive; the reign continues with approximately 119 thousand vehicles."