Özel: "The time has come to call for an early election"

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel arrived in Bilecik for a series of visits. His second stop in the city was the opening of a municipal restaurant established on Atatürk Boulevard and the groundbreaking ceremony for the Stray Animal Rehabilitation Center and Living Space. Evaluating the economic situation in Bilecik, Özel noted that the price of a simit, which was 8 liras at the beginning of the year, has risen to 12 liras, and a glass of tea has increased from 5 liras to 10 liras. Özel said, "A minimum wage earner in Bilecik could buy 1,300 teas and simits with their minimum wage this year; now that number has dropped to 770. That is almost half of 1,300. The purchasing power of money in Bilecik has been halved when calculated in terms of tea and simit."

"WE WILL FIND WHAT WE HAVE LOST AT THAT BALLOT BOX" 

Touching upon retirement pensions, CHP Chairman Özel said, "When this government came to power in 2002, retirees were receiving 1.5 times the minimum wage. If Mr. Tayyip had not touched it, had not interfered, and had not engaged in unnecessary actions by saying 'I will not let you be crushed by inflation, I will give you a raise at the rate of inflation,' the lowest retirement pension today would be 25 thousand liras. But he engaged in other matters and condemned you to a 12 thousand 500 lira pension. Now, we are objecting to the lowest retirement pension, which has fallen from the equivalent of 8 quarter-gold coins in 2002 to 2.5 quarter-gold coins today. 7

If a retiree in Bilecik loses one quarter-gold coin, they lose their mind; they walk around all the places they visited all day, looking for that lost coin. But today in Bilecik, it is not just one retiree, but every retiree who is losing not one, but 5.5 quarter-gold coins, not once, but every month. This is the 'Erdoğan tax' that these retirees are paying to Tayyip Erdoğan. You are paying the price for Erdoğan being in power and for him being a friend to the rich but not a friend to the poor. That is where we will find the gold we lost, in the place where we lost it. This is my call to the retirees. We will rush to the ballot box in the first election. We will find what we have lost at that ballot box," he said. 

"THE TIME HAS COME TO CALL FOR AN EARLY ELECTION" 

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel stated that the time has come to call for an early election, saying, "A CHP government will protect the citizens, retirees, laborers, farmers, and tradespeople. From now on, we will continue to work and fight for both our retirees and laborers, as well as our wonderful tradespeople," he said. 

"OUR MINIMUM WAGE DEMAND IS 30, WE ARE NOT IN ON ANYTHING BELOW THIS" 

Continuing his speech, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel said, "In Bilecik, inflation for minimum wage earners is 90 percent, the average inflation in Turkey is 80 percent, and according to TÜİK, the initials of the statistical institute that does not upset Tayyip, inflation is 50 percent, but they are calculating a 25-30 percent raise for the minimum wage. As the CHP, we have launched and are continuing a major campaign. Our minimum wage demand is 30; we are not in on anything below this. It is low for the person receiving the minimum wage, and it is very high for the person paying it. Furthermore, while proposing this, a 30 thousand lira minimum wage also causes a large increase in the state's social security premiums. We have to return a portion of this increase to small tradespeople. Because a barber employing one person, or a pharmacist employing two, or a tradesman restaurant employing three waiters, one dishwasher, and one cook does not have the means to pay a 30 thousand lira minimum wage. Because the minimum wage is low for the person receiving it and very high for the person paying it. For this, the CHP has made its preparations. It has submitted its legislative proposal. We propose to provide 6 thousand liras of social security premium support per minimum wage employee to those employing between 1 and 10 minimum wage workers. In other words, while it will be 30 thousand liras for the person receiving the minimum wage, it will be 24 thousand liras for the person paying it. This government is already going to make the minimum wage 22-23 thousand liras. So, the way to raise the minimum wage to 30 thousand liras without hurting the tradespeople is clear," he said. 

Following his speech, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel pressed the button with his entourage as part of the collective opening and groundbreaking ceremony. Later, Özel opened the municipal restaurant and served food to the citizens.