BASIC PRINCIPLES AND RULES ABOUT SUPPORT ASSISTANCE

1. Basic Reference (Constitution of the Republic of Turkey)

• Article 61 of the Constitution: “The state protects the widows and orphans of martyrs and the disabled and veterans, and ensures a decent standard of living for them in society.” This imperative article of the Constitution is the highest source of social and legal legitimacy for all support projects that our foundation will undertake.

2. Rights Holders and Compensation Laws

The main laws that determine who your foundation can assist as “relatives of martyrs” or “veterans” are as follows:

• Law No. 3713 on Combating Terrorism: Defines the limits of all social rights such as employment, housing, and rent assistance provided to the relatives of those who died as a result of terrorist actions and to disabled veterans.
• Law No. 2330 on Cash Compensation and Monthly Payments: Contains the principles of compensation to be paid for damages incurred by security forces during their duties, degrees of disability, and in cases of death.
• Law No. 1005 on the Honorary Pension for Those Awarded the Independence Medal: Regulates the rights of combat veterans (Independence War, Korean and Cyprus Veterans) and their honorary pensions.
• Law No. 5510 on Social Insurance and General Health Insurance (Article 47): Contains the legal definitions of “war disability” and “duty disability” and the methods of pension allocation.

3. Determination of Rights Holders and Their Degree

• Official Status Document: It is mandatory to present official documents/cards issued by the Social Security Institution (SGK), Ministry of National Defense, or Ministry of Interior that prove the individuals are relatives of martyrs or veterans.
• Rating: In the disability or care assistance provided to veterans, the officially approved degree of disability (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, degree) is taken into account.
• Degree of Kinship: In all support applications directed towards Martyrs and Veterans, legal rights holders are primarily spouses, children, parents. Payments cannot be made to second-degree relatives.

4. Types of Assistance and Periodicity Principle

• One-Time Assistance: These are the “Death” or “Disability” aids made for urgent needs during the first period when martyrdom or disability occurs.
• Regular/Continuous Assistance: Educational scholarships provided to children of martyrs, and periodic (monthly/quarterly) health and care supports provided to veterans.
• In-Kind and Social Assistance: Purchasing health devices (prosthetics, etc.), providing wheelchairs, or rehabilitation support falls under this category.

5. Decision and Distribution Mechanism

• Board of Trustees / Management Board Decision: The amount, duration, and procedure of each assistance to be made are determined by the foundation’s management board or board of trustees and are subject to official decision.
• Budget Limits: Public expenditures are predetermined according to the income of assets and properties based on the budget plan.

6. Transparency, Audit, and Prevention of Abuse

• Ministry and VGM Coordination: In order to prevent errors and duplications in support payments, it works in coordination with the General Directorate of Relatives of Martyrs and Veterans of the Ministry of Family and Social Services.
• Protection of Personal Data (KVKK): The information of our families in sensitive situations receiving assistance is kept confidential in a way that does not harm human dignity or cause embarrassment, and assistance lists are not publicly announced.
• Official Reporting: All cash and in-kind assistance provided is documented in accordance with accounting standards and reported within the first six months of each year.

 

PRINCIPLES THAT SUPPORT ASSISTANCE CANNOT BE MADE

Support Assistance is conditional on the following fundamental conditions;

1. If the support rights holder is found to have committed a crime against the sovereignty symbols and respect of the state, crimes against the security of the state, crimes against the constitutional order and the functioning of this order, embezzlement, corruption, bribery, theft, fraud, money laundering from crimes, smuggling, crimes against sexual inviolability, prostitution, drug and stimulant production and trade, use, facilitating use, purchasing, accepting or possessing for use, or if there is a definitive conviction for any intentional crime resulting in a total of 2 years or more of definitive imprisonment (even if the periods specified in Article 53 of the Turkish Penal Code No. 5237 dated 26/9/2004 have passed),
2. If the spouse is not officially registered,
3. If the person entitled to support assistance requests in writing that the assistance to be made to them should not be provided,