İYİ Party leader Dervişoğlu: 'We will become strike pickets if necessary to defend workers' rights'

The first agenda item of the İYİ Party Group Meeting was the announced minimum wage figure and economic developments. İYİ Party leader Müsavat Dervişoğlu began his speech by criticizing the announced minimum wage. "The government's diplomatic displays do not feed the citizens" said Dervişoğlu, "From this point on, the AKP has clearly shown that it has no intention of providing a future for the youth or hope for the employees" he stated. 

'IF NECESSARY, WE WILL BE AT STRIKE SITES AS STRIKE PICKETS'

Müsavat Dervişoğlu continued his remarks as follows: 

"Turkey is a minimum wage hell where the government constantly carries fire. In the determination of the minimum wage, where the day, hour, and minute are known, and where the needs, resources, and calculation modules are understood, they kept debating the pittance of a raise they would give. In the end, the mountain labored and brought forth a mouse. While the state has increased its own taxes, fees, paper, and stamp duties by nearly 50%, and prices in the market are still rising by 100%, the government's eyes are on the crumbs in the laborer's palm. The 17,000 lira determined in January of last year has, in terms of purchasing power, fallen to the equivalent of 12,000 lira of that day at best. Inflation has taken away the citizens' sweat and labor. Diesel is 44 lira, a simit is 15 lira, and the cheapest meat is 400 lira. For those looking to rent a new home, the lowest rent is 20,000 lira."

Last night, they once again rushed through the announcement of the minimum wage. In a country where the hunger threshold is 21,000 liras and the poverty line is 72,000 liras, the 22,104 lira minimum wage deemed appropriate for the worker is not even charity. The announced increase rate will not heal any wounds. With the price hikes coming as of January, it will shrink to nothing in the very first month. I am addressing President Mr. Erdoğan, who announced the minimum wage to the nation on his social media account as if it were a remedy for a problem: The people's table cannot be seen from the palace window!

The government's diplomatic displays do not feed the citizens. From this point on, the AKP has clearly shown that it has no intention of providing a future for the youth or hope for the employees. Look, since Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek took office, our nation has been waking up to two words: 'price hikes' and 'taxes.' 

The government of poverty and corruption, which can never balance the books, has left the citizens' pockets in tatters. Stop rummaging through the citizens' pockets. I am declaring it clearly here; we will go to strike sites to defend the rights and laws of the workers, and we will act as picket line monitors. We stand with the workers who take to the streets and hit the roads. 

Considering that 80 percent of my country is below the hunger threshold, we are no longer talking about poverty, but deep poverty. As of the end of November 2024, the hunger threshold for a family of four has reached 21,000 liras, and the poverty line has exceeded 72,000 liras. 

'THE LIFE PUT BEFORE US IS A QUARTER PORTION, BUT THE BILL IS FOR 1.5 PORTIONS'

Today, the middle class has been destroyed in Turkey. Everyone is now working at the minimum wage level. Our citizens have been condemned to live at low standards. The minimum wage, which is defined as a starting wage all over the world, has unfortunately become the reference wage in Turkey. 

In short, under the AKP government, the life put before us is a quarter portion, but the bill is for 1.5 portions.

'THE RECKLESSNESS OF İBRAHİM KALIN AND HAKAN FİDAN GIVES US CAUSE FOR CONCERN'

The recklessness of MIT Undersecretary Kalın and Foreign Minister Fidan gives us pause. One sees no harm in taking a car ride in front of cameras with an actor whose official status and legitimacy have not yet been established, while dealing with matters that should be handled with the utmost secrecy. The other declares that we have been in cooperation for years with HTS, which has been recognized as a terrorist organization by the Republic of Turkey since 2018. When rhetoric triumphs over education, reason takes a vacation in this manner.

Therefore, looking at the Syrian issue by focusing on ethnic and religious matters to seek a solution, and acting as a party to these divisions and conflicts, are clear imperialist plans to 'Lebanonize' or 'Iraqize' Syria. These mean acting as a vehicle for new and greater troubles that both Syrian citizens and Turkish citizens will be exposed to in the future. Damascus was taken in 12 days. Two headlines from 15 years ago, in 2009, are still in our memories. The first headline read: 'Two states, one cabinet.' Today, photos similar to those taken with Jolani were taken yesterday with Assad and his cabinet. Dozens of bilateral agreements were signed, and they were almost declaring a unified state. This great love lasted only two years. The cost to Turkey was millions of refugees, and the cost to Syria was bitter tears and destruction.

News Source: 12punto