Discussions for Turkey’s 2018 budget continue in the Parliament with the AKP-MHP partnership. The budget for war and profiteering has been prepared by the Turkish government, discussed in the Planning and Budget Commission and will be approved following the sessions in the Parliament’s General Assembly.

In Turkey’s 2017 budget, expenditure was foreseen as 645,1 billion Liras while this number has been increased to 762,8 billion Liras. The revenue in 2017 was 598,3 billion Liras, and has been increased to 696,8 billion Liras. The deficit in 2017 was 46,9 billion Liras and is foreseen as 66 billion Liras for 2018.

WAR BUDGET INCREASED BY 41%

The starting budget of defense and security institutions is set at 92.718.151.000 Liras. This starting budget was 64.306.050.000 Liras in 2017.

In just one year, 9 security and defense institutions saw an increase of 41% in their budgets and will receive 28 billion 412 million 101 thousand Liras more in their total budget. These are starting budgets and it is possible to allocate more funds throughout the year. Apart from these, there are the grants transferred into Defense Industry funds that are not listed in the budget and are not subject to Supreme Court of Accounts control.

The budget the Turkish government prepared and sent to the Parliament’s General Assembly clearly shows that Turkey is preparing for new wars in 2018 and there will be an increase in conflicts. The Budget Act points out that the weapons and investment the Gendarmerie and Coast Guard Command requires will be considered together with the Defense Industry Support Fund resources and the Defense Industry Executive Committee will be determining the amounts.

9% INCREASE TO EDUCATION BUDGET

The 2018 budget saw a 41% increase in the defense budget, and the Youth and Sports Ministry will receive a 22% increase, while the Ministry of Health and all relevant institutions will receive an increase of 12%. The Ministry of Education’s budget is increasing by 9%, while the Religious Affairs Directorate’s budget is increasing by 12%.

The 2018 Central Administration Budget allocates the following funds to some key institutions:

Ministry of National Defense 40,4 billion Liras

National Intelligence Agency 2 billion 335 million Liras

Ministry of Interior Affairs 7 billion 300 million Liras

Gendarmerie General Command 13 billion 311 million 208 thousand Liras

General Directorate of Security 27 billion 792 million 655 thousand Liras

Coast Guard Command 682 million 700 thousand Liras

Undersecretariat of Public Order and Security 18 million 373 thousand Liras

Religious Affairs Directorate 7,7 billion Liras

Ministry of Justice 13,7 billion Liras

Ministry of National Education 92,5 billion Liras

Ministry of Health and relevant bodies 37,5 billion Liras

Ministry of Culture and Tourism 3,9 billion Liras

Ministry of Family and Social Policies 26,7 billion Liras

Ministry of Environment and Urbanism 1,9 billion Liras

Ministry of Youth and Sports 14,1 billion Liras

The Presidency 845 million 365 thousand Liras