AKP's Yenişehirlioğlu dismisses calls for 'pensioner raises' as 'a show': They have no right to do this

The Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) convened under thechairmanship of Deputy Speaker Pervin Buldan. Group deputy chairs of the political parties speaking in the General Assembly madeevaluations regarding theagenda.

New Way (Yeni Yol) Group Deputy Chair Selçuk Özdağ, criticized thegovernment's policies regarding civil servants, retired civil servants, and the lowestlow pensionrecipients, reminding that they proposed a raise rate this year for SSK and Bağ-Kur pensioners, saying "TURKSTAT's figureswere used for the proposal. TURKSTAT figures are not accurate figures. There are also ITO figures. There are also ENAG figures. TUWe need to verify the figures from the TUI, but in order toverify them, the TUI must absolutely disclosetheinflation basket. A TUIThe figures of the TUIK are practicallyfor all civil servants,pensioners, or those under SSK and Bağ-Kur, for allsalaryraises, a very serious form of, and I say this inquotation marks, modern theft.It is nothing more than that," he said.

Remindingthatthelowest pensionis 16,881 liras, Özdağ, sspoke as follows:

"The government's proposal says, 'let's increase it to 20 thousand liras with an 18.48 percent raise,' but I ask, why should those retired under SSK and Bağ-Kur, and those retired from SSK, receive a 12.19 percent raise? Why should they? Let's apply an 18.48 percent raise to their increased salaries as well. Let's make an 18.48 percent raise.should be. In fact, the lowestpension salaryshould be 128,075 lira, the minimum wage figureshould be, and then from there, these pension salaries should be based onthe raise, that is, the lower pensionraise should be applied to SSK and Bağ-Kur retirees at the same rate as the raise given to the lowest pension. So, what was the raise to be given to retired civil servants and regular civil servants along with pensioners? That was18.60 percent.This is also not a fair raise. Because TUThe IYI Party is once again providing misleading information here. Itsuits the government'sinterests. While they should be giving more money to the nation and should not be letting them be crushed by inflation, they are failing to do so.A flat-rate raise should also be granted to them. This flat-rate raise should be no less than 10,000 liras. Iinvite the government once again tothink.Can they provide this? They can. They have such resources.is there."

Kavuncu: This nation will never forget this treatment of its own mothers and ancestors, and it will certainly hold them accountable at the ballot box.

IYI Party Deputy Group Chair Buğra Kavuncu stated that the AK Party government has given up on pensioners,andsaid,"The government, which claims to bedomestic and national, is separating our elders, who are part of ourculture."placing them somewhere, ensuring they live comfortably, showing them no lack of respect, and valuing them; unfortunately, this national value has been almost forgotten, and our pensioners have beenpushedaside. They are saying, 'You no longer have anyvalueto us,'" he said.

LastSaturdaydayExpressing that he was ashamed on behalf of the ruling party,Kavuncu used the following expressions:

"On Saturday,I attended the protest meeting held by the United Pensioners Union in Kartal regarding the raises to be granted. Why are people the age of my mother and father standing in that square in that cold with banners in their hands? Why do you deem this appropriate for people?Why do you deem this appropriate for people?Why are you driving this nation into this situation?Look,Look,the system you created has now gone bankrupt. Of course, is there no pastdimension to the point we have reachedtoday?Of course, there are mistakes that were made in the pastaswell. We must know and see theseas well.them. While all these changes, while all these practices are being carried out, the government has such a habit. It pits the nation agais continuing. For example, while giving little to pensioners, they provoke the youth by saying 'These are aburden on your back' or pit pensioners who paid high premiums against those who paid low premiums.They are turning them against each other.In every subject, in every fieldthey are creating division.They are polarizing society.This is a deliberate strategy. It is a policy of division.Whenever a law or regulation they pass fails to align with the nation's conscience, they create two or three groups andmake them fight each other.

Friends, 75-year-olds are working on construction sites tokeep warm, working onconstruction sites, working to keep warmboarding public transportation vehiclesto consuming natural gas at homeleft over fromJapan. Go ahead. Continue. And also natural gas consumptionbecausebecause they cannotafford it economically,I know about publictransportvehicles.Those who say, 'At least I can sit there in the heat from morning until night,' are staying in hospital emergency rooms, bus terminals, or in theneighborhoodof Ulus in Ankara, in cheap hotels. workingpensioners, does their situation tell you anything? Does it notprickyour conscience? Let us state concretely what pensioners want.The restoration of the 70 percent monthlyaccrual rate, and for the base salaryto be at leastthe minimum wage above the wage, forit to rise, formedication contributionshares not to be collected, and forall pensioners to be givenan equal rate ofa raise above the real inflation rate.This nation will never forget this treatment of its own mothers and fathers, and it will certainly hold them accountable at the ballot box."

"AK PARTY PENSIONERSISSF ORTH EWORKWILL CONTINUE TO BEAR"

AKP Group Deputy Chair Bahadır Yenişehirlioğlu, "The economic difficulties experienced by our pensioners are the collective responsibility of this entire parliament. Noone has the right to engage in political showmanship, polemics or to set an agenda usinginsulting language. Our nation's expectation of us is not to shout, demean, orturn the podiuminto a space forpersonal anger,either. is to produce solutions. Every step taken regarding pensionsalaries istaken by considering budget balances, the social security system, and principles of sustainability.Theregulations madeare notlimited to one-offrhetoric, but are part of a gradual improvement approach.is.The responsibility of a social state is not fulfilled with populist figures, butwith permanent policies.

Theharsh expressions, personal insults, and low-level analogies uttered from this podiumdo not contribute to solving our pensioners' problems and also damage the reputation of the Parliament. Politics proceeds through empathy but empathy iscannot be established by shouting or demeaning. The AK Party, as it has done until today, will continue towork to raise the living standardsof each of our pensioners fromnow on as well. Criticism can certainly be made. Suggestions can certainly be offered. However, the language used under thisroof must be worthy of the dignity of the nation." he said.

BETWEEN THEOPPOSITION AND THE AKP ASPECIALDEBATEENS UEDTHEY DIDNOT

Following Yenişehirlioğlu's criticisms regarding the remarks made by political party group deputy chairs about pensionersduring theirspeeches, CHP's Ba responded todemanded araise. Başarır, noting that the TBMM is the primary institution to solvethe fundamental problems of this country,reminded everyone, saying, "Are we doing this now? No. He said: 'The pensioner's problem cannot be solved with showboating.' No group here is they are not putting on a show, look. What are theysaying? They arementioning housing prices.What are they saying? They are mentioning food prices. What are theysaying? They are mentioning coat prices,shoe prices.They areIf he sees this as a show,I have nothing more to say to him," he said.

"Mr.Yenişehirlioğlu, do you put yourself in the shoes of an uncle or an aunt who receives a pension of 20 thousand liras?"

Regarding Yenişehirlioğlu's remarks that "Politics is a tool for empathy,Başarır used the followingexpressions:

"Empathy in politics is very important. I put millions of pensioners in the place of my own motherand father, I put them in my own place. And that is why I amrevolting here. We are raising our voices, sometimes we areshouting. This is not a tolerable situation. I ask, Mr. Yenişehirlioğlu, for God's sake, are you empathizing? Do you put yourself in the place of an uncle or an aunt who receives a 20,000 lira pension? Do you go to the market? We are talking about a thousand lira raise. A kilo of veal cubes is a thousand lira. What are we talking about? If saying these thingsis a show, then I am putting on a show. The entire groups, Mr. Selçuk too, are putting on a show. The IYI Party is putting on a show. I am putting on a show, but at least you should put on a show too and increase this money. If you see this as a show,if you seeyour conscience. Trulyconscience. I mean, at least show this reaction regarding pensioners, show this reaction. There are friends of yours who use unspeakable insultsbecause weare keepingwatch here. I do not want to bring thisup. They are insulting our deputies. Actuallywe will not allow this. We, for the pensionerfor the worker, for the worker, for the worker, for the people, for 86 million, we are here."

News Source: 12punto