AKP statement on claims that 'retirees will receive lower pensions'

AKP Group Chairman Güler made statements ahead of the 3rd Legislative Year of the 28th Term, which will begin on Tuesday, October 1.

Explaining that they will first complete the deliberations on the Teaching Profession Law Proposal in the General Assembly in the new legislative year, Güler said that the law proposal for the protection of consumers, for which committee deliberations have been completed, and the 9th Judicial Package will then come to the agenda of the TBMM General Assembly.

Emphasizing that the Russia-Ukraine war and Israel's attacks on Gaza and Lebanon are continuing, Güler noted the following:

"We have assigned some of our colleagues within the scope of the report presented to the National Security Council regarding our country's cyber security and infrastructure security for information systems. A study is being conducted on this issue. A law proposal is required for this. There will be a need for an organizational structure regarding the provision of the infrastructure and security of our country's information systems, data security, the protection of personal data and data of other public institutions, as well as the protection of space and satellite systems."

Stating that work is underway for an institutional structure at the presidency level on this issue, Güler said that this will also come to the Parliament's agenda in the coming days.

Explaining that many studies are being carried out under the heading of climate change and carbon emissions, Güler said, "We have a study with our Climate Change Presidency. We will take this study into our agenda in the coming periods."

Drawing attention to the reports published by European Union countries on this issue and the historical processes they have included in their agendas, Güler continued as follows:

"We are talking about a system related to the monitoring of the lowest production centers within the scope of the environmental effects of carbon emissions, taxing them at certain points, creating income accordingly, and their entry into EU countries. Within the preparation process, there is a need for a legal regulation in terms of both its tax dimension and the compliance process. This process needs to be operated within our Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Ministry of Trade, and Ministry of Treasury and Finance, which will follow up and ensure the coordination of this."

AMENDMENT TO THE COMPETITION LAW

Announcing that they are also working on the Competition Law, Güler provided the information: "In accordance with today's conditions, an environment that provides service over the internet has been created. Here, too, we are conducting a study within the scope of both monitoring and auditing whether the market dominance of large companies providing this service violates competition conditions or is being abused, especially with other stakeholders, the Ministry of Trade and the Competition Authority Presidency. We will also take this issue onto our agenda in the coming period."

Pointing out that there is also a study they have brought to a certain stage with the Ministry of Interior, Güler said, "We are also making an evaluation regarding the punishment of some important weapon parts regarding unlicensed weapons. This law will also come to our agenda in the coming period."

Güler said that the 10th and 11th judicial packages regarding some headings in the Human Rights Action Plan will also be brought to the agenda in the coming period.

Stating that the 2025 Central Government Budget Law and the 2023 Central Government Final Account Law proposals will be submitted to the Speaker of the Parliament towards the end of October, Güler stated that the deliberations, which will begin in the Planning and Budget Committee in November, will continue in the General Assembly in December.

"ADDITIONAL TAX" CLAIMS

Expressing that their goal is to collect more tax from those who earn more and less from those who earn less, Güler said, "At the same time, to put forward a study in accordance with the Medium-Term Program by making the fight against informality effective..."

Denying reports that new tax items will be created, Güler used the expressions, "There is no such situation. Our only goal is to contribute positively to this process by working with the bureaucracy of our Ministry of Treasury and Finance on legal regulations needed in the structural sense, in a compatible manner, while remaining loyal to the Medium-Term Program."

THE DIFFERENCE IN MONTHLY PAYMENTS TO BE ACCRUED TO THOSE WHO WILL RETIRE IN 2024 AND 2025

Regarding the evaluations that those who retire in 2025 will receive lower monthly payments than those who retired in 2024, AKP Group Chairman Güler said the following:

"There is nothing that has become a law proposal right now. Our Ministry of Labor and Social Security is continuing its work on this matter. A report needs to be prepared on what kind of effect inflation might have between 2024 and 2025. A fair, middle-ground solution can be put forward for that. But right now, there is no data on what this corresponds to as a numerical figure. After these emerge, we can reach a certain point by consulting with the Ministry bureaucracy."

Regarding the establishment of a complementary pension system in which the Automatic Enrollment System (OKS) will turn into a second-tier pension system with the contribution of employers, Güler said, "It should be evaluated as an important study. We need to work a little more on this issue in terms of compliance with our pension system." Güler said that they could take this issue onto their agenda after the beginning of the year, following the emergence of international scales for the implementation.

"THERE IS A NEED FOR A STRONG REFORM IN THE PENSION SYSTEM"

Using the expression, "We need to build a more balanced system for retirement, ranging from monthly accrual rates to premium amounts, premium periods, and retirement age, that is more sustainable," Güler noted that there is a need for a stronger reform that is more simplified, sustainable in terms of the Social Security Institution Presidency's own discipline, both in terms of income and meeting expenses.

Pointing out that the central budget support for this issue increases every year, Güler said, "It will continue to increase in the coming periods. Because new retirees will be included in the system with the law within the scope of EYT (Retirement at Age of Retirement)."

Underlining that there are currently around 16 million 150 thousand retirees and around 27 million registered premium-paying employees, Güler emphasized that this balance needs to be improved significantly.

Explaining that in some developed countries, the retiree-to-worker ratio is around 2.5-3.5 workers per retiree, Güler stated that in some provinces in Turkey, the number of retirees is higher than the number of workers.

Noting that it is beneficial to walk a middle path by also benefiting from the measures and practices taken by developed countries on this issue, Güler said, "We need to consult on this issue seriously by taking the contributions of every segment. We need to put forward a more fair, more permanent, balanced, sustainable pension system and a reasonable solution without bringing a greater burden to our economy."

Güler said that with the measures to be taken today, they will prevent bigger problems that will be experienced in the future.

"THERE ARE SERIOUS INVESTIGATIONS REGARDING ILLEGAL BETTING SITES"

Evaluating the criticisms that there is no clear regulation in the law regarding illegal betting sites, Güler said, "There are also some crimes developed abroad by using different data providers. There are serious investigations carried out by our Chief Public Prosecutor's offices on these issues. These also have serious sanctions. But detecting and determining this is not an easy job."

Explaining that illegal betting organizations commit this crime by using different IP numbers and directing them to different places, and that this is not easy to detect, Güler said, "It is described as if an open crime is being committed and it is not being punished. There is no such thing. There is a problem regarding the difficulty of detecting this."

Stating that there are illegal structures and organizations that use many countries as bases for this issue, Güler noted that when detected, the necessary action is taken.

NEW CONSTITUTION STUDIES

Expressing that they should gift a civil, democratic, pluralist constitution to the Turkish nation, Güler said that it is important for political party groups to contribute to this.

Stating that a responsibility and duty fall on all segments of society in this sense, Güler noted the following:

"If we are going to put forward a new constitution text, political parties must also sincerely put forward a procedure and method to realize this. We will talk about this. We do not have a text in our hands, but we will discuss how we can follow the right path to reach this text, how we can sincerely conclude this. If we put forward an idea at least in terms of procedure and method by visiting political parties at different times, hopefully, in the next stages, by negotiating with every segment of society, we will gift a civil, democratic, participatory, pluralist constitution text to our nation."

İLİÇ COMMISSION AND FISHERIES COMMISSION COMPLETED THEIR WORK

Noting that they find it valuable to establish a research commission on "artificial intelligence" by meeting with opposition parties in the new legislative year, Güler said, "A research commission will be established regarding the stage artificial intelligence has reached, its diversity, features, the investigation of its risks, and the measures to be taken. We think it will be very useful."

AKP Group Chairman Güler stated that the TBMM Fisheries and Aquaculture Research Commission and the TBMM İliç Mine Accident Research Commission have completed their work, and that the reports of these commissions will be discussed in the TBMM General Assembly in the new legislative year.