Ekrem İmamoğlu's current pension calculation

Reminding the public of the statements made by AKP Chairman and President Erdoğan that every extra penny given to retirees is a burden on the budget, İmamoğlu made striking observations. 

In his speech in Bahçelievler, İmamoğlu stated the following:

"We are here together, we are side by side. No one is asking anyone else, 'What do you wear, what is your faith, where are you from...' This is the people's square. And it will continue to be so. It will be the same after the election as it is today. I always say, if a village child is born, grows up, completes their education, and one day becomes the mayor of Istanbul, this journey has another name, and that is the journey of the Atatürk Republic.

Between us, Bahçelievler has never been this strong. Now, with Gülizar Emecan as a Bahçelievler local and a female engineer, and Özgür Çelik as a Bahçelievler local and the first CHP district head, the three of us will write history in Bahçelievler together. On March 31, Bahçelievler will grant authority to a female mayor for the first time, to Emine Gülizar Emecan. 

"THE FIRST TO BE ELECTED IN ISTANBUL'S HISTORY"

This year, we have 4 female mayoral candidates in 4 districts in Istanbul. 4 female mayors will be elected for the first time in Istanbul's history; you will see, we will succeed together.

For God's sake, you are a ministry. You are doing business with the nation's budget. I am the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. I am also doing business with the nation's budget. Their hostility brings all kinds of trouble to this nation. May God protect us from their hostility. But let me tell you, it rolls off our backs. We have overcome so much; we wonder, my brother, who is going to put chains on us, we wonder.

"EVERY PENNY GIVEN TO RETIREES IS A BUDGET BURDEN, BUT OTHER THINGS ARE NOT"

Minimum wage earners, but especially retirees, are suffering greatly. What is it, they say they cannot provide a budget for retirees. Every penny given to retirees is a burden on the budget, but other things are not a burden on the budget at all. They are breaking the hearts of 16 million retirees. 

"IF IT WERE LIKE IN 2001, THE LOWEST PENSION WOULD BE 24 THOUSAND 745 LIRA"

Academics say that there are 16 million retirees in Turkey, but the pensions of millions of retirees have been constantly losing value since 2001. In 2001, the lowest pension was 1.5 times the minimum wage. That is, the minimum wage was 100 lira, and the lowest pension was 150 lira.

Do you know what happened now? The minimum wage is 100 lira, but the retiree's pension is 65 lira. So it has lost half its value. Look, if the pension were like it was in the past today, the lowest pension would be 24 thousand 745 lira.

Was the retiree's pension not a burden on the budget for years before you, and is it now? Get out of here! They ruined the economy, they cannot find an excuse. Don't be surprised if they blame the retirees for the situation tomorrow. 

"A PERSON WHO BROUGHT THE ECONOMY TO THIS STATE"

They claimed to know the economy very well. Remember what he said: Interest is the cause, inflation is the result. Do you remember one of the ministers saying in 2021 that Turkey would fly? Yes, it is flying, but it is flying off a cliff. Look, what did another minister say? Look at the sparkle in my eyes. Neither the minister nor the sparkle remains.

If I said these things, I could not face the people. My face would turn red. I have not seen their faces turn red. A person who brought the economy to this state. You have the authority, we have the responsibility. Look, that's what he says. They have the authority, but you have the responsibility. This nation will teach you such a lesson on March 31...

This lesson will be the greatest ballot box lesson in history on March 31 for those who impose the high cost of living on us. 

Are you aware that they have stopped their work, left their main duties, and ministers and everyone else have started running to Istanbul? In a week or two, he will come too."