Is the retirement age changing? Nihat Zeybekci makes a 'betrayal to future generations' statement

AKP Deputy Chairman Nihat Zeybekci answered questions from Canan Sakarya and Besti Karalar of the newspaper Ekonomim. Regarding the pension system, Zeybekci stated, "The retirement age is too low. We can make a statement as bold as calling this a betrayal to future generations."

Emphasizing that the retirement age in the current system is unsustainable, Zeybekci said, "There is no regulation regarding the retirement age at the moment. But should it be done? Yes, it absolutely should. And it should never be touched again."

"THESE SHOULD BE IN THE CONSTITUTION"

Stating that the retirement age should not be subject to political interference in the future, Zeybekci said, "We need to put some things into the Constitution with a national consensus, setting everything else aside. Once you put these in, no one will come and touch the retirement age again."

Zeybekci noted that the political institution should turn toward permanent reforms instead of short-term solutions in the face of economic difficulties.

"HIGH INTEREST RATES ARE DRAINING BLOOD FROM TURKEY'S VEINS"

Nihat Zeybekci also made assessments regarding economic policies. Criticizing high interest rates, Zeybekci said, "Due to high interest rates, 100 thousand dollars at the beginning of 2024 became 125 thousand dollars by the end of the year. This is blood drained from Turkey's veins. It is blood drained not from the Treasury, but from the veins of the worker, the retiree, the civil servant, the industrialist, the tradesman, the producer, and the farmer."

Zeybekci stated that the cost of the high-interest policy is over 200 billion dollars and added, "I no longer have the capacity or the patience to endure this."

"THE DIRECTION MUST CHANGE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST INFLATION"

Expressing that Turkey should shift from the "high demand" justification to an "insufficient supply" approach in its fight against inflation, Zeybekci assessed, "Turkey needs to switch to the insufficient supply approach very quickly in the fight against inflation. If necessary, customs duties should be reviewed again."

"A YÖRÜK SHOULD NOT START GIVING SACRIFICES FROM HIS HERD"

Stating that politics should produce long-term policies instead of populist steps, Zeybekci reiterated his criticism of the current pension system with the words, "When politics becomes helpless and incompetent, as we say in our parts, 'A Yörük should not start giving sacrifices from his herd.' This should not be the first place we touch."