Ankara, 23 August 2024 (TDI): The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkiye (MOFA) recently issued a detailed statement addressing and refuting allegations circulating in certain media outlets regarding the misallocation of EU funds by the Turkish National Agency.
The allegations claimed that these funds were being directed to certain foundations and associations with close ties to the government. MOFA clarified that these funds are being used for the broader development of Turkish citizens. In addition, they are used to support a wide array of public and private sector projects.
MOFA’s Official Statement
MOFA Turkiye’s recent statement denied media claims that the Turkish National Agency allocates EU funds to specific foundations and associations. The statement said that the Turkish National Agency has been providing the citizens with avenues of personal and professional growth.
Since 2004, it has been committed to the cause of providing education, internships and volunteering abroad opportunities. It also provides grants to support projects of public institutions, the private sector, and NGOs in collaboration with their foreign partners.
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Funds Distribution by the Turkish National Agency (TNA)
The statement added that TNA has provided grants to 39,000 projects and provided opportunities to 630,000 citizens. All the funding applications undergo a rigorous evaluation process. Independent experts from outside the Agency access the applications and determine whether they are suitable for funding.
Funded projects are implemented in strict accordance with the guidelines set by the European Commission and are closely monitored by the Commission itself.
The statement said that 46% of the allocated funds allocated by TNA under the Erasmus+ programme are used by universities, 23% by vocational high schools, and 15% by schools. In addition, 11% of the funds are used by youth organisations and 5% by adult education organisations.
Finally, the MOFA advised to be cautioned of such misleading news provided by certain media outlets.
The writer is working for The Diplomatic Insight
