İYİ Party's $17 billion calculation: A comparison of retiree bonuses, housing, and scholarships

The İYİ Party has published an infographic regarding what the $17 billion amount, which emerged during the fund crisis, could correspond to in terms of public spending. In a post shared on the party's social media account, the amount in question was compared across different categories, ranging from retiree bonuses to social housing, and from rent support to KYK scholarships.

The post included the statement, "You may have the power to close the Parliament so that the Turkish Nation does not hear the truth. As much as you try to silence us, we will tell it everywhere." The İYİ Party announced its study with the note, "What does the $17 billion mentioned in the fund crisis mean? Here is the calculation."

According to the party's calculation, $17 billion means a payment of $1,000—approximately 49 thousand liras—per person to 17 million retirees. It was argued that if the amount were divided into two holiday bonuses, a payment of 24 thousand 500 liras could be made per retiree.

The infographic stated that with the same amount, approximately 280 thousand families could be provided with housing, and 1 million households could be given monthly rent support of 20 thousand liras for three years. The İYİ Party also claimed that $17 billion is equivalent to approximately five times the annual expenditure made for students in KYK dormitories.

The post stated that 1.5 million university students receiving KYK scholarships and loans could be paid 12 thousand liras per month for six years, and approximately 15 million students could be provided with a free hot lunch every school day for two years.

In the İYİ Party's study, it was also suggested that $17 billion is approximately six times the investment cost announced for the Çanakkale Bridge and the Malkara-Çanakkale Motorway, and that it could allow for the construction of 12 hospitals on the scale of the Bilkent City Hospital or the construction of approximately 6 thousand new schools with 24 classrooms each.

News Source: 12punto