'Maximum pandemic, minimum state support'

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Turkey's financial assistance to its citizens during the Covid-19 pandemic is at the same level as poor countries, says a report by the Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions of Turkey Research Center (DİSK-AR).

Turkey allocated only 2.7 percent of its national income for cash support to the citizens, the USA allocated 25.4 percent, Greece 21.1 percent and New Zealand 19.3 percent of their national incomes.

Some highlights of the report

➟ On average, the ratio of financial support to the national income was 17.2 percent in rich countries and 2 percent in poor countries.

➟ The richest 10 G20 countries provided 8.3 trillion dollars to their citizens and the 10 middle-income countries spent 1.3 trillion dollars.

➟ While the US alone provided 51 percent of all additional spending and cash support for Covid-19, 59 poor countries were able to make only 5 percent of the total expenditures.

➟ The cash support provided by Turkey stood at around 19 billion dollars. The share of Turkey's cash expenditures and indirect support in the amount of money spent globally was only 1.8 per thousand."

➟ The share of Turkey's total cash expenditures and indirect income support in its GDP was 2.7 percent. The country spent 0.4 percent of its GDP on healthcare during this period.

➟ A significant portion of the expenditures made by Turkey was met from outside the government resources, including the Unemployment Insurance Fund, the Social Assistance and Solidarity Fund and the donation campaign launched by the government.

➟ According to the IMF database, Turkey's total additional expenditure for Covid-19 was 90.9 billion lira (11.8 billion US dollars): cash support and supplementary payments for the minimum pension (22.5 billion lira), unemployment fund (5.9 billion lira), short-time work allowance (33.2 billion lira), cash support for employees (11.4 billion lira), social assistance programs (8.8 billion lira), and support for shopkeepers (4.6 billion lira). (HA/VK)