Turkey's defense expenditures rise in May due to terror operations

Within the scope of Turkey's counterterrorism operations, security and defense expenditures have increased according to a report by the Finance Ministry, which was clarified by Finance Minister Naci Ağbal on June 14 regarding the May budget realization. In the past month, defense expenditures increased 62 percent and the government spent TL 429.8 million ($146.6 million) on defense and relevant goods, materials and service procurements compared to TL 265 million spent in the same month last year.

From January to May this year, the government has spent TL 1.33 billion ($453 million) on defense compared to TL 737.3 million in the same period last year. This year's numbers reflect an overall increase in spending with TL 24.4 million spent in January, TL 105.7 million in February and TL 168.3 million in March. Additionally during April last year, TL 305 million was spent on defense with TL 429.8 being spent in May, reflecting a 40 percent increase over a five-month period.

In May, government revenue saw an 18.6 percent increase compared to May of last year, rising to TL 49.5 billion and a budget expenditure of TL 45.9 billion, up 14.3 percent in May from the previous year. More than 45,000 people have died since the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU, launched its armed insurgency against the Turkish state in 1984. Around 30,000 terrorists were killed during that time, while the losses of Turkish security personnel were around 7,000. Civilian losses of Turkish nationals, mostly of Kurdish origin living in the region, were around 6,000.