Türkiye achieves 484 billion TL in public sector savings

Turkish Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek announced that public sector savings measures implemented during 2024 and 2025 have resulted in a total of 484 billion TL in savings. This amount exceeds the combined 2026 budgets of six ministries: Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change; Foreign Affairs; Energy and Natural Resources; Culture and Tourism; Industry and Technology; and Trade.

The savings were achieved through a “Savings Measures Circular” issued in 2024, which introduced a rigorous monitoring, auditing, and reporting model. Measures covered various areas including vehicles, service buildings, fixtures, and energy consumption. The Ministry developed a specialized information system to track the savings of 260 public administrations, conducting audits in 2,016 spending units to date.

Excluding interest and earthquake-related expenditures, the share of these savings within the budget decreased from a long-term average of 4.6% to 3.1% in 2024 and is projected to reach 2.9% in 2025. Şimşek stated that these measures support the disinflation process and will allow fiscal space to be redirected toward priority areas.

However, the announcement has drawn political criticism. Yavuz Ağıralioğlu, leader of the Anahtar Party, called for transparency, questioning whether the savings stem from preventing waste or from delaying essential investments and public services.