During the budget discussions in the Turkish Grand National Assembly, an object brought by a member of parliament surprised everyone.

AK Party Kırşehir Member of Parliament Necmettin Erkan stated, "Turkey has achieved a growth rate of 5.5% in 2022, 5.1% in 2023, and 3.2% in the first half of 2024. In this regard, the Turkish economy stands out positively compared to many other countries, and the recorded improvement indicators have raised expectations for 2025."

AK Party Members of Parliament spoke on the 2025 budgets of the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Treasury and Finance in the General Assembly of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

"EXPECTATIONS FOR 2025 IN THE ECONOMY HAVE INCREASED"

AK Party Kırşehir Member of Parliament Necmettin Erkan said that the political crises that started with the pandemic and continued with the Russia-Ukraine War have deeply affected all economies. Emphasizing that despite the recorded growth figures being below those of past economies in the global economy, Turkey has continued to grow in production, employment, and exports, Erkan stated, "Turkey has achieved a growth rate of 5.5% in 2022, 5.1% in 2023, and 3.2% in the first half of 2024. In this regard, the Turkish economy stands out positively compared to many other countries, and the recorded improvement indicators have raised expectations for 2025."

"STRONG ECONOMY, GREAT TURKEY"

AK Party Yozgat Member of Parliament Abdulkadir Akgül stated that employment has increased with record-breaking export figures, and the per capita national income continues to rise. Akgül noted that despite many adversities such as the pandemic, regional wars, and earthquake disasters, Turkey is confidently progressing towards the goal of "strong economy, great Turkey." He pointed out that the number of cooperatives serving tradesmen and artisans has exceeded a thousand in 2024, stating, "Our tradesmen are being provided with business establishment and vehicle acquisition loans of up to 1.5 million Turkish liras. Zero-interest loans of up to 300 thousand liras are being provided for master craftsmen and young entrepreneurs, as well as for professions at risk of disappearing. To date, 544 billion in state-supported loans have been provided. Today, resources have turned into loans accessed by 1.5 million tradesmen and artisans."

"HALAL FOOD MARKET IS GROWING"

AK Party Tekirdağ Member of Parliament Mestan Özcan stated that the Halal Accreditation Agency is not just a monitoring mechanism, but has emerged as an institution that enhances Turkey's reputation in international trade.

Özcan expressed that the balance of the world has changed today, and the center of trade and money has shifted from the West to the East, stating, "Turkey is establishing not only trade but also bonds of trust and ethics across a vast geography from Muslim Turkish republics to the Middle East, from Southeast Asia to Africa. Strategic institutions like the Halal Accreditation Agency (HAK) are bridges that strengthen these ties. Today, Turkey has strengthened its commercial relations with all Muslim geographies regarding halal products. Thanks to the trust established by HAK in the international arena, Turkish goods are now preferred more, and trade routes are being reshaped through Turkey."

AK Party Antalya Member of Parliament İbrahim Ethem Taş stated that the Competition Authority is a strategic institution that contributes to the healthy functioning of the free market economy and is crucial for increasing international competitiveness.

5 BILLION LIRA ADMINISTRATIVE FINE FROM THE COMPETITION AUTHORITY

Taş reported that the Competition Authority imposed approximately 5 billion lira in administrative fines on companies that violated regulations in 131 investigations completed in 2024, stating, "In the first six months of 2024, the total benefit provided to our consumers reached 49.24 billion TL. These results are an important indicator for strengthening fair competition in our country, maintaining economic stability, and ensuring the protection of consumer rights. We see once again that a competitive market structure is one of the cornerstones of economic development."

DIRECT TAXES WILL BE INCREASED

AK Party Aksaray Member of Parliament Hüseyin Altınsoy stated that the perception of a high tax burden in Turkey does not reflect reality, saying, "The average tax burden is 34% in OECD countries and 40% in EU countries. It is also anticipated that in our budget, an expenditure of 1 trillion 28 billion Turkish liras will be made in 2024 to eliminate the damages caused by the earthquakes in 2023."

AK Party Burdur Member of Parliament Mustafa Oğuz recalled that many regulations have been made in the field of taxation, stating that their fundamental approach to tax justice is "to collect more tax from those who earn more and less from those who earn less." Oğuz mentioned that efforts are being made to increase the share of direct taxes in budget revenues.

"WE HAVE EMERGED FROM CRISES WITH OUR HEADS HELD HIGH"

AK Party Ankara Member of Parliament Ahmet Fethan Baykoç stated that ports and highways are the locomotives of Turkey's economic growth, emphasizing that the modernization of ports and increasing their capacities will enhance competitiveness in foreign trade. He noted that they aim to make Turkey a more effective player in global trade by making new investments in ports through privatization.

AK Party Istanbul Member of Parliament Büşra Paker expressed that the banking sector is crucial for the economic stability of countries, emphasizing that a strong banking sector is the key to success in the global economic arena.

Paker stated that the Turkish banking sector has successfully emerged from the crises experienced worldwide in recent years, saying, "A strong banking sector is indispensable for the sustainability of economic growth and social welfare."

"44 IRREGULARITIES DETECTED REGARDING IETT"

AK Party Istanbul Member of Parliament Adem Yıldırım placed a manhole cover he brought with him in front of the podium and began his speech. Referring to the 2023 Court of Accounts reports of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Yıldırım stated, "44 irregularities have been detected regarding IETT, meaning I am softening it by saying 'irregularities,' there is actually corruption involved. Irregularities have been detected in 220 topics, including 22 related to ISKI."

Yıldırım also mentioned that the Court of Accounts reports included findings related to vehicles belonging to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, stating, "The Court of Accounts could not find 1137 vehicles. I think the Court of Accounts made a mistake here. The number of vehicles is not 1137, it is 1136. Because one of the vehicles belongs to Mr. Gökhan Günaydın."

MANHOLE COVER IN THE GRAND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Holding the manhole cover in one hand and the Court of Accounts reports in the other, Yıldırım stated, "Yes, I brought a cover here. This is the cover, this manhole cover. As you know, the manhole cover caused injury to our citizens by breaking the metrobüs door. This is also, as you know, the report of the Court of Accounts. This is actually a representation of the incompetence and ineptitude of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and CHP governance.

He stated, "The picture is here, the cover is here."

Later, the group vice presidents of the political parties spoke about their positions.

"EVEN IF YOUR SEVEN GENERATIONS COME."

CHP Group Vice President Gökhan Günaydın claimed that the AK Party had annulled the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality elections in 2019. Reminding that the CHP won 414 municipalities in the local elections on March 31, Günaydın said, "Let's also address the SSK debt and the concert issue. We are not avoiding anything. We have also submitted research proposals. Let's account for who has made concert expenditures. Regarding the vehicle, I have also taken the person who made this slander to court. You cannot achieve anything by buying my former driver. Even if your seven generations come, you cannot hold me accountable. I am also ready to account for everything to the end, bring it on."

"THERE WERE POLLING STATION CHAIRS WHO WERE NOT PUBLIC EMPLOYEES"

AK Party Group Vice President Muhammet Emin Akbaşoğlu evaluated the annulment of the 2019 Local Government Elections.

Reminding that four separate votes were cast in the same envelope for the mayoralty, municipal council membership, district municipal council membership, and mayoralty in those elections, Akbaşoğlu noted: There were polling station chairs who were not public employees. The difference related to nearly 30,000 votes decreased to about 12,000 with the counting of 10% of the ballots. Why the districts? There were discrepancies in the minutes regarding that issue. Only the minutes for the metropolitan municipality mayoralty were different. When 10% was counted, the difference decreased from 30,000 to 13,000. Since this discrepancy was observed in all the minutes related to the metropolitan municipality mayoralty, an objection was made there. For this reason, such a decision was made. It is they who have put forward the politics of slander and show politics. We have put forward the politics of works and services, which is why the nation has brought us back to power. The result is this.