Yerlikaya responds: Half of the earthquake aid pledges were not fulfilled

CHP Niğde MP Ömer Fethi Gürer asked how the donations collected under the 'Turkey One Heart' campaign, which was launched following the earthquakes that caused massive destruction in Kahramanmaraş, were utilized.

Submitting a parliamentary question to the Assembly, Gürer asked, "Was the pledged donation amount collected during the campaign process, and where was it evaluated?" Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya responded to Gürer's parliamentary question.

Drawing attention to various allegations regarding the aid campaign, Gürer stated, "Answering the following questions in order to share information transparently will ensure the public is informed. The answers to be provided are also quite valuable in terms of preventing misinformation regarding the effectiveness and reliability of social aid campaigns."

The written parliamentary question submitted by Gürer, requesting a response from Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya, included the following questions:

“The donation amount pledged after the live broadcast regarding the campaign was stated as 115 billion 146 million 528 thousand liras. Has the pledged amount regarding the total donations been reached after the campaign?

Was the donation amount pledged during the campaign process collected, and where was it evaluated?

What is the total amount of aid collected to date from individuals, companies, institutions, and organizations regarding the earthquake covering 11 provinces? Are the amounts collected in a single account (AFAD) or in multiple accounts? How is the distribution ensured?

Have the individuals or organizations that made pledges during the campaign but did not make the donations been identified? If they have been identified, will an explanation be provided regarding why these individuals or organizations did not make the payment?

Will the public be informed about how and in which areas the donations obtained during the campaign process will be used?

Is the necessary auditing, control, and inspection being carried out in the earthquake zone regarding the process, especially in terms of transparency and accountability for cash aid?”

Responding to the parliamentary question, Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya recalled that the ‘Turkey One Heart’ campaign was launched on February 15 via a joint broadcast of TV channels to meet the food and shelter needs of citizens affected by the February 6, 2023, earthquakes, and announced that 85 billion 697 million 129 thousand 344 TL in donations were collected within the scope of the campaign.

56 BILLION SPENT

Yerlikaya announced that the amounts deposited by donors within the scope of the campaign were evaluated in accounts opened in the name of AFAD at public banks. Furthermore, he stated that individuals and organizations that made pledges but have not yet made donations have been identified, and emphasized that the communication process for the completion of the donations is ongoing. Stating that 56 billion 563 million 536 thousand 392 liras of the collected donations have been used to date for expenditures such as household payments, death benefits, moving assistance, rent payments, and the purchase of tents, containers, toilets, food, and hygiene kits for disaster victims in the earthquake zone, Minister Yerlikaya noted that container city installation and social facility works are continuing.

He announced that all donations collected within the scope of the campaign and expenditure transactions are subject to the audit of the Court of Accounts and that audits and examinations are carried out at certain intervals in accordance with the relevant legislation.

"MORE THAN 30 BILLION LIRA DIFFERENCE"

Gürer, on the other hand, pointed out that there is a difference of more than 30 billion liras between the 115 billion liras claimed to have been donated and the 85 billion liras collected. Stating that more than 10 months have passed since the beginning of the campaign, Gürer emphasized that the probability of individuals and institutions that have not yet made donations despite having pledged to do so making payments from now on is low. Recalling that the Central Bank pledged 30 billion liras, Ziraat Bank 20 billion liras, Vakıfbank 12 billion liras, and Halkbank 7 billion liras in donations during the campaign process, Gürer stated that these four public banks pledged a total of 70 billion liras in donations. He also stated that Cengiz Holding pledged 2.5 billion liras, Turkcell 3.5 billion liras, and Borsa Istanbul 2 billion liras in donations.

Noting that the donation amount of these three institutions totals 8 billion liras, Gürer stated that when we add the donations of these three institutions to the amount pledged by the public banks, the amount already collected is around 85 billion liras.

News Source: 12punto