Tamer Karadağlı was appointed general director of Turkey's State Theatres General Directorate on 11 August 2023. His appointment prompted debates regarding merit within Turkish theatre and art circles.
Artists argued that Karadağlı's stage background was unsuitable for the post, stating that a certain theatre background is required for the State Theatres General Directorate.
The Tulip Era is over. If you are not going to work, resign.
Budgetary overruns and service costs
In 2025, the State Theatres General Directorate's travel allowance spending, which covers transportation, meal, and accommodation costs for personnel on domestic assignments, reached 177,239,000 Turkish lira. This figure exceeded the allocated budget of 55,520,000 Turkish lira by 3.2 times.
Travel allowance spending in 2025
According to the newspaper BirGün, the State Theatres General Directorate spent 6,725,393 Turkish lira on special office services during a 120-day period from January to April 2026. These services include the general director's work schedule and protocol or ceremony arrangements. The monthly distribution of this 6.7 million Turkish lira expenditure for the first quarter of 2026 has been disclosed.
Comments regarding the spending in the first quarter of 2026 stated: 'the real Tulip Era is happening now.'
