AKP's Elitaş clarifies the issue of 'those who retire in 2025 will receive lower pensions': 'There is a calculation regarding that'

AKP's Elitaş was a guest on tv100's Ana Haber with Kübra Par. Speaking on prominent agenda topics, Elitaş touched upon many issues, ranging from MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli shaking hands with DEM Party members in Parliament to the CHP's decision to stand up for President Erdoğan in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).

Highlights from the questions directed at Elitaş and his responses are as follows:

On the issue of Bahçeli shaking hands with DEM Party members..

If the DEM Party becomes a party of Turkey, it will contribute greatly to our country. The actions taken by this party to date have not been things that serve Turkey's interests.

Did Mr. Bahçeli extend an olive branch on this issue? Will the hardening continue afterwards?

Hardening in politics is normal. As long as it does not turn into insults, it must be accepted. We have been seeing a parliament where courtesy has been absent since 2010. This is a sad event.

Mr. Bahçeli's statements are very important. Could we see Mr. Erdoğan also shaking hands with DEM Party members?

The President makes a speech at the opening of Parliament on October 1, but they do not shake hands with political parties afterwards; however, after budget negotiations, the Chairman of the ruling party shakes hands with the chairmen of other parties. In the past, there have been handshakes with previous administrations of the DEM Party. I do not think he will refrain from shaking hands at any ceremony from now on. If the environment is right, why not?

Bahçeli says, "We are entering a new era." What did you understand from these words? Can we understand a change in relations with the DEM Party or a new resolution process?

Everyone must do their best for the survival of the Republic of Turkey. As Mr. Bahçeli said, if the DEM Party's actions align with its rhetoric...

I see this move by Mr. Bahçeli as an important opportunity for the DEM Party to become a party of Turkey. If this party is not taking instructions from Qandil and has liberated its will, then there are opportunities to talk with the DEM Party.

"IF THE DEM PARTY BECOMES A PARTY OF TURKEY..."

The Speaker of the Parliament will visit all parties. He will visit other parties, both those with and without parliamentary groups, starting with the AK Party, for a new constitutional commission...

It is said that a button will be used when there is a fight in Parliament... When deputies act like this, we expect the public to be calm... We are almost going to have a cage built so you don't punch each other.

It is written in the parliamentary rules. When a speaker begins with insults, the Speaker of the Parliament immediately interrupts them and invites them to speak with clean language. If not complied with, he invites the speaker to return to their seat.

Those images are not pleasant. If the speaker had not provoked, those speeches would not have emerged. You cannot understand it without being in that atmosphere of the Parliament.

How did you view the CHP Group standing up when the President arrived yesterday?

Actually, this was the normal thing to do. When Mr. Ahmet Necdet Sezer was President, we always stood up. I remember we did not applaud. This started not being done during Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu's term. The CHP's attitude has caused satisfaction in public opinion. What they have done until today is wrong. 

Is there something we don't know about the meeting between Mr. Erdoğan and Özgür Özel? 

There were 4 people at the meeting. We decided that our party spokespersons would make the statement.

Will they come together again?

Why not, but it seems to me that they criticized Özgür Özel a lot. It seems like there is pressure on Özel. There is a team close to Kılıçdaroğlu within his party. It is understood from Kılıçdaroğlu's tweets that he is criticizing the chairman. Since Mr. Özgür Özel works with Kılıçdaroğlu's delegates, it seems like there is pressure.

Özel says that the AK Party is disrupting normalization. For example, regarding the oath of the lieutenants...

We are not disrupting it. That is discipline. A soldier is a person who must obey discipline unconditionally, without ifs or buts. If everyone does something according to their own mind, it is not called an army. The Turkish Armed Forces is a place where discipline is indispensable. If Mr. Özel sees this as anti-normalization, he must define what normalization is.

Increases regarding retirees are on the agenda. Will those who retire in 2025 receive less pension than those who retire in 2024?

There is a calculation regarding that. It is the case that those who retire in 2024 will receive higher amounts. When you change this with momentary issues, it can be unfair. When inflation is rising, it is to one's advantage to retire later. When inflation enters a downward trend, those who retire earlier will receive more.

The AK Party is in a congress process. Will there be a change? There is bickering among AK Party members on social media, do you have a comment? 

I do not find these pleasant, but it is not right for friends who have served in the AK Party before and currently have no activity to argue on social media. Otherwise, we have the right to say to friends who are only connected by membership, please do not do this. I assume they will think more sensitively and consider not harming the party.

NEW CONSTITUTION

I believe that this parliament has the will to get rid of the 1982 Constitution. I believe it will draft a civil constitution. You also asked Özgür Özel yesterday. I find his statement, "Let them comply first, then we will see," important, but I do not agree on the Can Atalay issue. The Speaker of the Parliament has fulfilled the regulation.