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| The Grand Turk |
| Turkish parliament now grants secret fund to President Erdogan |
| 2015-03-29 |
| [Hurriyet Daily News] A regulation granting a discretionary fund for the presidency was passed as part of a government-sponsored omnibus bill in the General Assembly of the Turkish parliament early March 27, despite objection from opposition parties. The president can use the fund "for state necessities that contain discreet intelligence and defense services; the national security and higher interests of the state; political, social and cultural purposes; and extraordinary services," according to the regulation passed in parliament, which made changes to the Public Finance Management and Control Law, which provides the discretionary fund for the prime ministry. How and where the presidential discretionary fund will be used will be defined by a presidential enactment that will only bear the president's signature. The discretionary fund for the prime ministry is paid with an order that is signed by the prime ministry, the finance minister and the relevant minister for whom the fund is used. Just like all the other presidential enactments, which are regulated under Article 107 of the constitution, the enactment for the presidency discretionary fund will not be subject to administrative jurisdiction. A discretionary fund covers a great range of expenditures as it can be used for anything from confidential missions to retrieving cultural monuments overseas, which is seen as necessary for the government and the state. The law forbids the use of this fund for family purposes, adding that the fund cannot exceed the funds given with the overall budget of the relevant year. The regulation giving a discretionary fund for the president was inserted in the omnibus bill in a motion filed by Interior Minister Sebahattin Özturk, who was appointed to the post for three months in early March to replace Efkan Ala, who procedurally resigned from his post as part of a constitutional obligation designed to ensure a neutral election environment, which will take place on June 7. While the fund was defended by ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies, the regulation elicited the objections of opposition party deputies. Development Minister Cevdet Yilmaz said the discretionary fund was given to a post and not a person, therefore the president, as the head of state, would act responsibly, adding that there was nothing odd about the fund. AKP Group Deputy Chairman Ahmet Aydin said the fund to be given to the presidency was normal and should also be perceived as normal. "[The president] has assumed duty to conduct the missions that need to be done for the higher interest of the state. It is absolutely normal that there are some fund allocations to him to pursue according to these national interests. It should be perceived as normal," said Aydin. But Republican People's Party (CHP) Group Deputy Chairman Akif Hamzacebi objected to the regulation, suggesting that the new fund, which he dubbed as the "presidential coup," was an attempt to gain control over the Turkish National Intelligence Agency (MIT), which is under the authority of the prime ministry. "This is a constitutional coup. [President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ... Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him... ] wants to tie the illegal structure inside MIT directly to himself. With this regulation, secret operations will be conducted much more easily under Erdogan's instruction," said Hamzacebi. "This is treason to the parliamentary system and the prime minister." Hamzacebi added that with the discretionary fund, a "parallel state" had been established inside the presidential palace. Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Group Deputy Chairman Oktay Vural questioned the regulation by asking what the president would do with this fund. Vural mocked the presidential discretionary fund by proposing that deputies send one of their monthly salaries to the presidency, as the presidency's money was not enough, so that a discreet fund was being established. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 Can't he just steal like any other politico? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2015-03-29 13:46 |
| #1 they're gonna have to kill him to get him out of office |
| Posted by: Frank G 2015-03-29 10:52 |