Hawzah News Agency (Istanbul - Turkey) - Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) spent 29 million Turkish Liras (approximately $4 million) to fund mosque and Quran associations in 2019, according to a report in Birgün. State treasury figures indicate that the Diyanet spent 6.6 billion Turkish Liras ($910 million) between January and July of this year.

Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) spent 29 million Turkish Liras (approximately $4 million) to fund mosque and Quran associations last year, according to a report in the daily newspaper Birgün.

The Diyanet funded 1,523 different foundations related to mosques and Quran courses in 2019.

While the Diyanet was founded following the establishment of the Turkish Republic in order for the state to manage religious affairs, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has provided it with massive funding and instrumentalised it to build mosques in Turkey and in other Muslim communities.

State treasury figures indicate that the Diyanet spent 6.6 billion TL between January and July of this year. A total of 11.5 billion TL were allotted to the Diyanet budget in 2020.

Last year, the Diyanet transferred a total of 35 million TL to non-profit organizations, compared to 30 million TL in 2018.