A legislative proposal envisioning an increase in the lowest pension to the level of the net minimum wage has been brought to the agenda of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. The proposal, submitted to the Speaker of the TBMM on October 16 by YENİ Party Eskişehir Deputy İbrahim Arslan, aims to provide a minimum income guarantee for retirees.
The proposal seeks an amendment to the additional 19th article of the Social Insurance and General Health Insurance Law No. 5510. While the current regulation stipulates that the lowest pension, including additional payments, cannot be less than 23 thousand 552 TL, the proposal aims to remove this fixed amount and index the lowest pension to the current net minimum wage.
If the regulation is enacted, the lowest pension will not only be increased once; it will also be redetermined in subsequent years according to changes in the net minimum wage. Thus, it is anticipated that increases in the minimum wage will be directly reflected in the lowest pension.
EMPHASIS ON COST OF LIVING IN THE JUSTIFICATION
In the justification for the proposal, it was recalled that the Social Security Institution pays old-age pensions to ensure the livelihood of insured individuals who suffer a loss of income due to a decrease in their working capacity. It was argued that current pensions are insufficient to fulfill this function in the face of rising living costs.
The justification also cited the provisions of the Constitution regarding the protection of the elderly, stating that retirees should have economic security that allows them to meet their basic needs and maintain their lives above the hunger threshold.
The proposal, submitted to Parliament on October 16, was referred to the TBMM Planning and Budget Committee on October 19. Whether the proposal will be enacted will become clear following the committee and General Assembly processes.
News Source: 12punto
