Turkiye imposes austerity policy on gov’t bodies

The Turkish Minister of Finance and Treasury, Mehmet Simsek has instructed government institutions to reconsider all costs, except for those related to the February earthquakes, as part of the austerity policies adopted by him.

According to the new directives, government agencies that rely on set budgets have to follow strict rules regarding expenditure related to representation, ceremonies, hospitality, promotion, personnel, energy and water purchases, personnel and other matters.

The directives signed and published on Tuesday aim to rationalise government spending, reduce bureaucracy, and ensure the optimal, economic and productive use of public resources.

The government institutions covered by the directives must adhere to the procedures specified in the memorandum, in order to achieve savings in local and external expenditure arising from their own budget or any other available resources, and to use fixed and movable assets effectively, the directives instructed.

The directives stressed the need for public services to perform their functions within the budget limits, so as to avoid over spending.

Furthermore, the government agencies must avoid any activities that may increase pressure on budgets, and must not incur any costs or obligations that are not directly related to the scope of work defined by the relevant legislation.

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