Aktaş: I don't think it's meaningful to dwell on the current raise

Ekonomi newspaper columnist Alaattin Aktaş made evaluations regarding the current economic agenda during a live broadcast on HalkTV. In his speech, Aktaş used the following expressions regarding the minimum wage negotiations: "It would not be surprising for me to hear the statement, 'Giving a raise once bothered me, we will provide another raise in the second half.' I don't think it's meaningful to dwell on the current raise."

* (Minimum wage earners) should wait for what the President will say. There is a thought that minimum wage negotiations will be held, that it will be discussed. Ultimately, what the government says in the end is what happens. The representatives don't have much of a chance. What Türk-İş is doing is occupying space unnecessarily. A 'so-called negotiation' will take place in the Commission. Then the President will say, 'My heart was not very satisfied with this minimum wage,' and a raise will come. Such a game will be played. I am not sure if the minimum wage will be determined only once. Even though the election will be behind us in the second half of the year, this depends on what is on the President's mind.

"I DON'T THINK IT'S MEANINGFUL TO DWELL ON IT"

* It is said that we will close inflation at 65 this year. It will peak at the end of May. The Central Bank's forecast is that inflation will reach a rate of 74 percent. For this to happen in May, there needs to be a 32 percent increase in the first 5 months. The government says we estimate this in 5 months. Now you gave a 40 percent raise. And there was 32 percent inflation in 5 months. So how will they lower it to 36s by the end of the year? But we also see that there is not much of a realistic side to that.

* It would not be surprising for me to hear the statement, 'Giving a raise once bothered me, we will provide another raise in the second half.' I don't think it's meaningful to dwell on the current raise. A raise of around 40 or 50 percent will be made. I don't expect a lower or higher rate.

"THIS IS NOT A RAISE, IT IS THE COMPENSATION OF THE 6-MONTH LOSS"

* Actually, summer inflation was announced much lower than it should have been. There is a problem stemming from the calculation being done differently. Employees and retirees cannot receive the inflation difference at the correct level. Actually, this is not a raise, it is the compensation of the 6-month loss. That difference in between also becomes a loss.

* I honestly don't care much about Mehmet Şimşek's statement either. Does Şimşek make these kinds of decisions? No, the President makes them. He will not be the one who ultimately makes the decision. The person who will make the decision on the raise in the coming period according to the results of the polls will also be the President.

"THE PROMISE OF 'WE WILL NOT CRUSH THEM UNDER INFLATION' WILL BE VOID"

* Now, the inflation difference that occurred in the second half of this year will be given to retirees. The raise will be deducted from the inflation difference, and I am saying this for civil servants, a 15 percent raise was foreseen, and that will be applied. Now, even when the Central Bank's inflation forecast is 36, coming up with a total raise forecast of 26.5 percent means giving a raise below inflation. If this happens, the promise of 'we will not crush them under inflation' will be void.

"THIS GROWTH IS NOT A GROWTH THAT BENEFITS THE CITIZEN ON THE STREET"

Regarding growth, at first glance, it is not bad at all. When brought to the last one-year period, a 4.3 percent growth was foreseen. It looks like this can be reached. However, growth has no meaning unless it creates equality in income distribution. This growth is not a growth that benefits you, me, or the citizen on the street right now.

News Source: 12punto