Turkey's 2027 budget proposals pass parliamentary commission

The Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) Plan and Budget Commission has approved the 2027 budget proposals for the Parliament Presidency, the Institution of the Ombudsman, and the Court of Accounts. During the sessions, Speaker of the Parliament Numan Kurtulmuş addressed various issues, including the rights of parliamentary staff and the declining rejection rate of parliamentary questions, which has fallen to 0.82 percent.

The budget discussions drew significant criticism from opposition members regarding agricultural support and social welfare. CHP Member of Parliament Ömer Fethi Gürer highlighted a discrepancy in agricultural funding, noting that while the Agriculture Law mandates support equal to 1 percent of the gross national income, the proposed budget allocates only 235 billion lira, leaving an 877 billion lira gap. He also noted that farmers' debt to banks has reached 1.511 trillion lira.

Other political figures criticized the budget for prioritizing interest payments and capital over workers, retirees, women, and youth. Discussions also touched upon the need for measures to improve retiree pensions and address the economic pressures caused by inflation and high interest rates.