CHP's pension proposal rejected by AKP and MHP votes

AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced after the first Cabinet Meeting of 2024 that there would be a 5 percent increase in pension salaries.

"We are declaring 2024 the Year of Retirees" said Erdoğan, disappointing millions of retirees with the 5 percent increase.

The Republican People's Party (CHP) submitted a parliamentary inquiry in the TBMM General Assembly regarding the losses in retirees' salaries and their economic problems. The CHP's group proposal was rejected by the votes of AKP and MHP deputies.

Explaining the justification for the group proposal, CHP Bursa Deputy Pala stated the following:

"The projected increase in pension salaries is very low, and the loss during the Justice and Development Party era is very high. Let us explain this situation with a single figure: In 2002, the difference between the lowest pension salary and the minimum wage was 1.3 times. The lowest pension salary was 1.3 times higher than the minimum wage; if the figures announced yesterday are to pass through this Parliament exactly as they are, unfortunately, the lowest pension salary will be only 59 percent of the minimum wage. This is an unacceptable situation because, as you know, pension salaries are actually a social protection program. You cannot protect anyone with such a low pension salary. This year is being declared the 'Year of Retirees,' but with such a low pension salary, this year can only be declared the year of survival for retirees if they are lucky, unfortunately not the year of retirees.

"THE HUNGER THRESHOLD IS ABOVE 14 THOUSAND LIRA, AND THAT IS FOR NOW"

Look, the hunger threshold is above 14 thousand lira, and that is for now. While these salaries remain the same months later, the hunger threshold will be much higher in this inflationary environment. The poverty threshold is above 47 thousand lira, and that is for now. Now, I am addressing especially the deputies who receive pension salaries: While you receive a pension salary of 96 thousand lira, how do you think those who receive a pension salary of 10 thousand lira can make ends meet with that figure? This is truly unfair and unequal. On one hand, the number of retirees in Turkey is increasing, but unfortunately, due to the economic policies of the Justice and Development Party, the share allocated to retirees from the gross domestic product is decreasing. This is unacceptable. Let me give you a figure, let's not go too far back: While the ratio of retirees to the population in our country was approximately 13 percent in 2010, this figure has now exceeded 16 percent; their share in the population is increasing. Well, what is the change in the share you transfer from the gross domestic product? While 6.8 percent was allocated to retirees in 2010, even though the population has increased, the rate you are trying to allocate today is only 4.5 percent; this is unacceptable. These figures are around 13 percent in Germany, for example, and over 16 percent in our neighbor Greece.

Another important problem relates to the incorrectness of the method of increasing pension salaries. A system that depends on the President saying 'We are increasing it by 5 percent' or 'We are increasing it by this much' every time is unacceptable. Furthermore, especially when it comes to those whose pension salary is below 7 thousand 13 lira, the increase is around 33 percent; therefore, please consider the Republican People's Party's proposal; the proposal to index the increase in pension salaries to the increase in the minimum wage is very appropriate. In addition, there is a very serious inequality among those who retire from social security institutions in our country. The differences in pension salaries between those who retire from the Pension Fund (Emekli Sandığı) and those who retire from the SSK and BAĞ-KUR are at an unacceptable level; these inequalities must be eliminated. In this inflationary environment, I must emphasize that people have problems even with accessing basic food items.

"WE MUST ALL INCREASE THE SHARE OF LABOR IN THE NATIONAL INCOME TOGETHER"

We must all increase the share of labor in the national income together. The social policies and economic policies during the Justice and Development Party era have, unfortunately, gradually reduced the share of labor in the national income. We must both increase the share of labor in the national income and raise the minimum wage to a livable level, and also raise the lowest pension salary that retirees will receive to the level of the minimum wage. An increase similar to the increase in the minimum wage should also be experienced by retirees in every increase period. There is no resource problem in the country; those who claim there is a resource problem in the country should look at the palace's expenditures. Those who claim there is a resource problem in the country should look at the unnecessary expenditures in Turkey's economic policy in particular. Therefore, I repeat especially: I invite the deputies who receive pension salaries not to pass what comes from the palace here, but to follow the voice of their conscience and increase the lowest pension salary."

News Source: 12punto