With new proposal, top religious body's budget to exceed 16 billion liras in 2022

The Turkish government has submitted its 2022 budget proposal to parliament, seeking to increase the funds allocated to the Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) by 24 percent, reaching the very sizeable sum of 16.1 billion Turkish Liras, Anka news agency reported on Oct. 19.

Tuesday October 19 2021 04:12 pm

Diyanet head Ali Erbaş is seen in this file photo.

Duvar English

The 2022 budget proposal submitted to the Turkish parliament foresees a 24.04 percent increase in the total funds allocated for Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) from the year before, Anka news agency reported on Oct. 19.

The "representation and publicity" costs spiked by 155 percent in the new proposal, while funds allocated for service procurement were bumped by 27 percent.

The 2022 budget proposed for the Diyanet is 16.1 billion Turkish Liras, which is approximately $1.7 billion, while the 2021 budget was 24.02 percent smaller at 12.9 billion liras.

The estimated budget for 2023 was noted at 18.6 billion liras, and an even larger 20.7 billion liras was estimated for 2024.

Wages and social security fees allocated for Diyanet staff were some 12.4 billion liras in 2021, but will be bumped to 15.5 billion liras in the new year.

Diyanet's "representation and publicity" costs will increase by 155 percent, spiking from 769,000 liras in 2021 to 1.9 million liras in the new year, while service procurement costs will be bumped to 46 million liras with a 27 percent increase.

Meanwhile, the Diyanet's controversial investments in non-profit organizations will increase from 81.8 million liras in 2021 to 92.4 million liras in 2022, seeking a 12 percent hike.