Budgets for two ministries approved: Yusuf Tekin defends interviews and targets CHP-run municipalities

The budget marathon continues at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

The 2025 budgets for the Ministry of Family and Social Services and the Ministry of National Education were approved in the General Assembly.

Following the speeches on the budget, the session moved to the question-and-answer segment. Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin's focus was on CHP-run municipalities.

Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş argued that they intervene in every case that occurs in any corner of Turkey.

Stating that they provide immediate support to those affected by such cases, Göktaş said, "We follow all legal processes meticulously. We join the lawsuits to ensure the rights of victims are protected and that perpetrators receive the necessary punishment."

Emphasizing that they also appeal against non-prosecution decisions when necessary, Göktaş stated, "As a Ministry, we are present in all cases. We stand by the victims at every stage and provide them with all kinds of necessary support. We are the ones fighting for those who took the life of our daughter Narin to receive the heaviest sentence in court. The defense presented by our lawyers was appreciated by everyone. We are also by the side of the family of our 5-year-old child, Eda Nur, who lost her life due to the negligence of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality."

Recalling that she visited the family after the fire in the Selçuk district of İzmir that claimed the lives of 5 siblings, Göktaş said, "I immediately initiated all necessary investigations. Let no one have any doubt that we will do what is required wherever there is negligence in this incident."

Stating that they launched all necessary investigations following the incident at a rehabilitation center in Niğde, suspended 16 personnel, and filed criminal complaints with the Public Prosecutor's Office against 26 personnel, Göktaş reported that 14 personnel were arrested as part of the investigation and that they have joined the lawsuit filed against them.

Emphasizing that protecting children's rights and keeping them away from all kinds of political manipulation is everyone's primary responsibility, Göktaş said:

"We strive to fulfill this responsibility while also observing the right of our victimized children to be forgotten. I attach importance to our deputies approaching issues concerning our children with this sensitivity. Every issue related to women and children is a matter above politics. All deputies who reach out to me know very well that we are open to all kinds of cooperation for the well-being of our children. There is no deputy who has called me with sincere intentions and could not reach me. However, I cannot accept our children being made into political material. As the Minister of Family and Social Services, I will never tolerate our children being abused under the guise of protection. I cannot view any attempt to expose them despite confidentiality orders as well-intentioned. We have only one goal in this regard: to ensure the protection and care of our children under the best possible conditions by observing the principle of the best interest of the child."

"I SUGGEST EVERYONE LOOK AT THEIR OWN TRACK RECORDS"

Stating that they have made great progress regarding women's rights, Göktaş underlined that until very recently in Turkey, women were deprived of their right to education due to the headscarf ban and were distanced from their rights to education, employment, and representation due to a restrictive and tutelary mentality.

Expressing that those who talk about women's rights remained silent for years in the face of these injustices, and that girls and women were sacrificed for the dirty ambitions of terrorist organizations and their futures were stolen, Göktaş continued as follows:

"How can those who turned a blind eye to these for years talk about women's poverty and women's rights at the same time? I suggest our deputies, who target us with unfair accusations regarding women, listen to the voices of the Diyarbakır mothers. Are they not women in your eyes? I suggest everyone look at their own track records. Our nation knows very well who stood where in the struggle for women in this country. Our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, fought against this tutelary order and put an end to these bans. We have removed the bans and obstacles in front of women one by one in every field of life, from education to health, from politics to academia, from justice to culture and art."

Expressing that today women have a say in every field, Göktaş said, "This, of course, does not mean that we have reached all of our goals. However, history will never forget those who made us lose years with bans."

Stating that the occupancy rate of women's shelters is 70 percent, Göktaş said, "Local governments also have an obligation to open women's shelters. We look, and your municipalities, let alone opening women's shelters, are closing the ones that have already been opened."

YUSUF TEKİN TARGETED CHP-RUN MUNICIPALITIES

Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin responded to criticisms regarding protocols made with some non-governmental organizations.

Stating that approximately 5 billion 895 million liras were paid to non-profit organizations from his ministry's 2024 budget, Tekin made the following statements:

"There are payments we make from our ministry's budget to international organizations we are members of, such as UNESCO. There are construction and personnel expenses made by the Turkish Maarif Foundation for our schools where our flag waves abroad. Apart from this, if there are those who claim that money is transferred from our Ministry's budget to non-governmental organizations and professional organizations, this is a distortion. We do not hold concerts with money allocated from the central budget like your municipalities. We spend entirely for education and training. We have not transferred a single penny anywhere else. We have not signed any protocol that would allocate a budget in any of the protocols we have made with TOBB, chambers of commerce, chambers of industry, or other professional organizations, and we will not."

Regarding the village schools that were stated to be closed, Tekin expressed that they are ready to open these schools if there is a demand, even if there is only one student.

"WE CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS IN A FAIR MANNER"

Regarding the interviews for teacher recruitment, Minister Tekin said, "We conducted interviews in a fair manner, unprecedented in the history of the Republic."

Following the speeches, the 2025 budgets for the Ministry of Family and Social Services and the Ministry of National Education, as well as affiliated institutions, were approved in the TBMM General Assembly.

Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Gülizar Biçer Karaca closed the session to reconvene at 11:00.