Diyanet'in paraları pul olmuş.
Diyanet'in yurt dışı seyahatleri bütçeyi zorlamış
diyanet i̇şleri başkanlığı'nın bir yılda 15 kez yurt dışına çıkan arpaguş'un seyahat masrafları hesaplandı; ilk altı ayda 399.7 milyon tl harcanmış.
the impact on the presidency’s budget of arpaguş’s travels—who travelled abroad 15 times in less than a year—has been calculated. the presidency authorised 399.7 million tl in travel expenses in the first six months.
A change of leadership took place at the Presidency of Religious Affairs in September 2025. Ali Erbaş’s term as President, which was overshadowed by luxury official vehicles, five-star hotel meetings and overseas trips, came to an end on 18 September 2025.
One of the most controversial practices of Erbaş’s tenure was his overseas travel. Erbaş, who took office in September 2017, organised 150 visits to 45 different countries.
A HEAVY BILL
Safi Arpaguş, who was appointed to the Presidency of Religious Affairs on 18 September 2025 and is reported to have said, “I won’t do what Erbaş did”, was no different from Erbaş. In just the first 10 months of his presidency, Arpaguş undertook 15 overseas trips. Arpaguş, who barely visited Ankara during his term of office, incurred a staggering cost for the Presidency of Religious Affairs through his overseas travel.
It is reported that Arpaguş spent more than half of his total 10-month term in Istanbul and abroad; the Presidency’s travel expenses, which also covered Arpaguş’s travel costs, reached 400 million TL between January and June 2026. The ‘travel expenses’, which cover transport, meals and accommodation costs for domestic and international trips undertaken by delegations of the Presidency of Religious Affairs, amounted to 399,745,171 TL in the first half of 2026.
A 52% INCREASE
It was found that the Presidency’s travel expenses of 399.7 million TL in the first half of 2026 represented a 52% increase compared to the 261.9 million TL recorded in the first half of 2025.
The Presidency of Religious Affairs’ travel expenses for the whole of 2026 are estimated at 887,630,994 TL. Arpaguş’s itinerary for trips abroad, which is also reflected in the Presidency of Religious Affairs’ budget, was recorded as follows:
Saudi Arabia, Bulgaria, Germany, Belgium, France, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Western Thrace–Xanthi, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, France, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia.
TRAVELLING WITH A LARGE DELEGATION
On his 15 overseas trips to date, Arpaguş has been accompanied by large delegations comprising deputy chairmen, directors-general, department heads, the chief of staff, the protocol and press team, and security personnel.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Diyanet'in gezi aşkı bütçeyi yordu, published in BirGün newspaper on August 3, 2026.