Murat Kurum's pension promise is not as announced! Only those individuals will be able to benefit...

Gazete Pencere columnist Nuray Babacan has penned an article shedding light on the expectations of citizens crushed under the weight of high inflation and the economic crisis. 

So, are the claims of an additional pension raise true? Will a holiday bonus be given to retirees? Is the pension promise made by AKP's Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality candidate Murat Kurum accurate? Here are all the details...

WILL A 5 THOUSAND LIRA PENSION BONUS BE GIVEN?

"Seeing the economic crisis as its biggest rival in the local elections, the ruling party is taking new measures to avoid being defeated by the cost-of-living crisis, which has topped all polls. The government will announce during its election campaign that the 2 thousand lira holiday bonus given to retirees will be increased to 5 thousand lira," says Babacan, who included the following statements in her article titled "5 thousand lira holiday bonus for retirees":

"In the AKP, which is prepared to use every method to emerge successful in the local elections, especially in Istanbul, the economic policies aimed at austerity that were announced to overcome the economic crisis have been suspended. President Tayyip Erdoğan and his team, who speak of 'opening the purse strings' until March 31, will take a new step regarding the holiday bonuses given during Ramadan and Eid al-Adha. In the meetings held, it was discussed that the holiday bonus given to retirees would be increased from 2 thousand lira to 5 thousand lira.

WHEN WILL THE BONUS PAYMENT BE MADE?

It will be announced that two payments will be made in April, 9 days after the local elections, and then in May. Even equalizing the increase given to SGK and Bağ-Kur retirees with that of civil servant retirees and applying a 49.25 percent rate could not eliminate the dissatisfaction.

WILL AN ADDITIONAL RAISE BE MADE?

While the payments for the additional raise have not yet been made, another additional raise has started to be discussed in the corridors. The claims that an additional raise could be made, which were reported some time ago, are also being discussed in the corridors.

According to the information obtained, this issue will or will not come to the agenda depending on the course of the election. However, there is more than one problem regarding the improvement of pension salaries. While regulations are being made, especially for retirees in the lower income group, there is an issue of income disparity among retirees. Solutions are being sought for situations such as the narrowing of the salary gap between those who pay more premiums, such as doctors or teachers, and those who pay fewer premiums. It is also being discussed within the AKP that the search for a formula is ongoing and that a surprise additional raise could come to the agenda depending on the course of the local election campaign.

"NEEDY RETIREE" CRISIS

While on the subject of retirees, the 2 thousand 500 lira support for retirees announced in the AKP's Istanbul election campaign caused a problem. It was learned that the Ministry of Labor reacted to the statement made in the campaign as 'support for our retirees in need'. This expression caused objections within the party, meaning 'the government that gives retirees salaries low enough to make them needy'.

KURUM'S PROMISE IS NOT LIKE THAT!

Furthermore, it has emerged that not all retirees will be able to benefit from this support as announced by AKP's Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate Murat Kurum.

It was learned that aid is planned to be given to retirees who do not have a house, car, or additional income and can prove this. The gap between promises and reality was seen before the campaign even started!"