Headline: "Defense Industry Fund Set for Overhaul: Addressing Criticisms for a Stronger Future"
Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz recently made significant statements regarding the Defense Industry Support Fund, which has been a topic of discussion in Turkey. Yılmaz acknowledged some of the criticisms regarding the fund and mentioned that the proposal would be thoroughly reassessed. The fund proposal, which sparked public debate, included a provision to charge a fee of 750 lira from credit card users with limits of 100,000 lira and above. Following reactions, the proposal was withdrawn and discussions postponed. Yılmaz announced that the matter would be reconsidered in detail after the budget is finalized.
Yılmaz addressed questions from journalists about whether the proposal would be brought to the Parliament agenda in the new year. He emphasized that the Parliament is a platform for such discussions and stated that the proposal would be modified or withdrawn if necessary. He highlighted the importance of public criticism and admitted that impact assessments were conducted swiftly. Therefore, the ruling coalition plans to re-evaluate the issue in detail post-budget, considering valid criticisms and reassessing the package.
Regarding the progress in the defense industry, Yılmaz noted that the number of projects exceeded a thousand and the sector's size surpassed $15 billion. He emphasized that Turkey is now able to sell products to other countries that it previously could not purchase. Nonetheless, Yılmaz stated that further development is necessary and indicated ongoing work on new projects and investments to advance the sector.
Discussing the budget allocation for earthquake-affected regions, Yılmaz highlighted the significant spending currently underway. He reported that over 2.6 trillion lira, equivalent to approximately $70 billion, has been allocated from the central government budget based on 2024 prices over two years. Yılmaz anticipates that these expenditures will decline starting next year, easing the financial burden. He stressed the importance of investments in the earthquake regions and confirmed that efforts in this area will continue without slowing down.
In terms of demographic initiatives, Yılmaz announced plans to establish a High Council for Demographic Population to address issues such as declining fertility rates and demographic transformation in detail. He stated that a new action plan would be developed, highlighting the significance of demographic dynamics for Turkey's future. The objective is to transform data obtained from extensive participation into a meaningful policy set.