Cost of Ankara-Sivas and Ankara-İzmir YHT Lines Increased by 90 Billion TL in One Year

CHP's Ulaş Karasu noted that according to the 2023 Presidential Investment Program, there was a cost increase of 40 billion TL on the Ankara-Sivas YHT line and 50 billion TL on the Ankara-İzmir YHT line.

CHP Sivas Deputy Ulaş Karasu claimed in a statement that the government is now having difficulty in financing large projects using public resources. Addressing the AKP government, Karasu said, "You have set up such a plundering system that you can no longer raise money," and brought up the cost increases in the Ankara-Sivas and Ankara-İzmir YHT lines.

'To whom did you give 40 billion'

SözcüNoting that the Ankara-Sivas line is expected to be completed at 25 billion TL last year, Karasu announced that the cost of the line has increased to 2023 billion 64 million liras, according to the Presidential Investment Program for 528. Stating that the construction of the Ankara-Sivas Line was started in 2008 with a cost estimate of 2 billion 915 million, Karasu said, “You said, 'The appropriation we have allocated for the Ankara-Sivas line is 2022 billion TL in 2', what happened when we came to 2023, 'We will do this in 2022. You say that we spent 40 billion TL for the line. Now I ask: To whom did you donate the 1 billion that you said you spent for the 40 percent of this line? he asked.

'The cost has increased by 50 billion in a year'

Expressing that the situation is similar in the Ankara-İzmir YHT line, which is another project of TCDD, Karasu stated that the project was implemented in 2012 with a cost of 4 billion 300 million, and the physical progress remained at 11 percent in 54 years. Expressing that according to the Presidential Investment Program for the Year 2022, a total cost of 27 billion TL, 47 billion of which is foreign loans, was announced, Karasu said, “We are coming to 2023. In one year, the cost increased by 52 billion. 'We have spent 97 billion by the end of 50.' You said, we are coming to 2022, this time you say, 'We have spent 11 billion until 2023.' Which should we believe?" said.

'Billions are pouring into the pockets of supporters'

Saying that the cost increase of the two lines in a year is 90 billion TL, Karasu said:

“You have increased costs by 90 billion for two lines in one year. Who did you give this money to? You will not see the cost deviation experienced in these two lines anywhere in the world. What was the President saying? 'If he does, the AK Party will do it.' That's the point. On the one hand, while public resources are plundered, ecosystems of thousands of years are sacrificed to rent projects, on the other hand billions are pouring into the pockets of the supporters.”