Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz explains: Will vehicle usage be reduced?

Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz evaluated the agenda and answered questions on the Başkent Kulisi program, which was broadcast live on Kanal 7.

When asked about the meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, Yılmaz emphasized that he viewed the meeting very positively.

Stating that Turkey has entered a period without elections following the March 31 Local Administration General Elections and that this period is a historic opportunity for the country, Yılmaz said that this process should be utilized very well.

Emphasizing the need for competitive cooperation in the field of politics, Yılmaz said, "You will both compete and cooperate for the sake of the country's future, for our common interests and the expectations of the nation. From new constitution discussions to economic reforms and social issues, there are things we need to do with both the government and the opposition. We have very important agendas in foreign policy. In all these matters, it is extremely beneficial to reduce political polarization and increase political dialogue. Our President has already expressed this as 'Turkey's need'."

In response to the question "Will there be follow-up meetings?", Yılmaz replied, "Our President has also stated that he will pay a return visit. There is great benefit in continuing this dialogue. But this does not mean that competition will disappear; political competition will certainly continue."

When reminded that different voices were heard from the CHP regarding the meeting, Yılmaz commented, "We also heard different voices. The attitude shown by Mr. Özel is the right attitude. Politics must see what Turkey needs and see the expectations of the public."

''I EXPECT A 20-POINT DROP''

Vice President Yılmaz also answered questions regarding the efforts made in the fight against inflation.

Yılmaz stated that the Medium-Term Program (OVP), prepared with a 3-year perspective, is being implemented decisively and that the results are being seen.

Stating that there will be a loss of momentum in inflation during the summer months and saying, "The month when the figures will peak on an annual basis is May inflation," Yılmaz noted that there will be a rapid decline in the following four months.

When asked "How much will it drop?", Yılmaz used the expression, "I expect a 20-point drop."

Stating that the main effect of the decline is the program, Yılmaz said, "We will see serious declines on a monthly basis, and then we will see annual declines." Yılmaz stated that inflation will fall further next year and will reach single digits in 2026.

Expressing that Turkey is in a recovery process in financial indicators, Yılmaz said in response to the question "When will the public feel it?", "We will see this more after the summer period. Actually, we have started to see these in automotive and some areas. But there is rigidity in food and services, and we are trying to break that. Along with them, it will become more noticeable in the lives of our people. This does not mean that inflation will be negative; there will be a very serious slowdown in the rate of increase."

''INVESTMENTS HAVE STARTED TO COME TO TURKEY''

In response to the question "Credit rating agencies have made upgrades. What do these mean?", Yılmaz replied, "What is essential is the arrival of investments. Investments have started to come to Turkey. We are seeing a serious increase, especially in portfolio investments. We are also seeing very promising signals in direct capital. We see that investor interest is increasing."

Cevdet Yılmaz pointed out that with the end of the election processes, Turkey has ensured a political environment of trust, stability, and predictability, and said that they have also eliminated policy uncertainties with the Medium-Term Program and other documents.

When asked "How will the real sector in Turkey be affected by the high-interest environment in the coming period?", Yılmaz explained that they are trying to balance consumption, increase savings, and channel them into productive areas.

Underlining that reforms in labor markets and plans in the field of vocational training will make significant contributions to employment, Yılmaz continued his words as follows:

"In the coming days, we are convening the Investment Environment Improvement Board again. As the public and private sectors, we will invite our Minister of National Education there. Our Minister of National Education will present a broad set of measures regarding vocational training, which we have been working on for a long time. We will evaluate these together with our Ministry of Labor, Strategy and Budget, Treasury and Finance, all our institutions, and representatives of the private sector, and we will take various steps there. Not only macro policies but also micro interventions are important. Our SME policy is very important in terms of employment. We are thinking about all these together with regional development, our agricultural policy, and developing different working models in services."

Yılmaz answered the question regarding "austerity measures that can be taken in Turkey" by saying, "The fight against inflation is a total struggle. All segments need to take responsibility in this fight, including the public sector, the private sector, and civil society. We need to avoid unnecessary expenditures and consumption that we do not need."

Pointing out that increased savings should be channeled into areas that will strengthen Turkey's future, Yılmaz shared the view, "With this understanding, we have also started a study in the public sector. We are doing a coordinated study. We want to establish a good monitoring system. We will not just announce it; we also foresee establishing a more effective system in terms of following up on the implementation."

Vice President Yılmaz stated that they are evaluating everything item by item, from vehicles to the use of public buildings, from document printing to where and how ceremonies and training activities are held, and that this will be shared with the public when it is finalized.

In response to the question "Will vehicle usage be reduced?", Yılmaz said, "Of course, there are discussions regarding vehicles. It is not just vehicles, but buildings... Why should we build new buildings if there is no need? We are looking at how we can use existing ones more efficiently. The greatest saving is efficiency. In addition to reducing spending, we are looking at how we can make our expenditures more efficient in every area."