Ali Babacan gives a figure: How much should the minimum wage be?

DEVA Party Chairman Ali Babacan made statements regarding the minimum wage. In a video featuring his remarks on the program "Çalar Saat" with İlker Karagöz, Babacan said the following:

'AT LEAST 47 PERCENT'

“Currently, inflation is 47. In the 2025 budget, the state says, ‘I will increase my revenues by 46 percent.’ That is, the state's revenue will increase according to actual inflation. They have imposed taxes accordingly and will increase them even further. In a year like 2025, when the state says it will increase its own revenues by 46 percent, should the minimum wage hike be 20 percent? 25 percent? 30 percent? What is this? They say expected inflation is 17.5 percent or 20 percent. They say they will increase the minimum wage according to expected inflation. My friend, expected inflation is a figure you made up in your head, a figure you wrote down. In my opinion, it is a figure that will not hold up either. How can you give a minimum wage raise based on that? Moreover, is it only now occurring to a government that has given raises based on actual inflation for 22 years to invent something like ‘based on expected inflation’ this year? I was in charge of this country's economy for 11 years. We always gave raises based on actual inflation. That is, whatever the actual inflation was, we gave that, and on top of that, we gave a welfare share. What is it for the minimum wage? It is actual inflation. Because the right has been established. From January of 2024, that is this year, until today, there has been 47 percent inflation. The purchasing power of the minimum wage has dropped by 47 percent. Therefore, a raise of at least 47 percent must be made. That is, if you trust TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute). I do not trust them.”

DEVA Party leader Ali Babacan also used the following expressions in his social media post:

“When talking about the minimum wage, do not violate the rights of millions of citizens and do not commit a sin against the public with figures you made up in your heads called ‘expected’ inflation.”

When talking about the minimum wage, do not violate the rights of millions of citizens and do not commit a sin against the public with figures you made up in your heads called “expected” inflation. pic.twitter.com/YaiR6AaRdI

— Ali Babacan (@alibabacan) December 10, 2024

News Source: 12punto