Abdülkadir Özkan: "Maybe we don't live in the same country"

Abdülkadir Özkan: "Maybe we dont live in the same country"
Date: 15.6.2023 17:00

Milli Gazete columnist Abdulkadir Özkan writes on Türkiye economy. Here is the full article.

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The perception operation of the pro-government media continues after the elections. Thus, while the problems of the country are tried to be hidden, on the other hand, the negativities are turned into positives. When this happens, one cannot help but ask if we do not live in the same country as the perceivers. Let me state right away that I am not in favor of constant calamity. However, the news that the economy is getting stronger while the country is struggling in an economic stalemate is upsetting.
 
Meetings are held in order to protect our employees and retirees against rising prices, especially in the face of minimum wages and pensions remaining below the hunger limit before half of the year due to high inflation. In addition to the news that the current account deficit continued to increase for 11 months and reached its peak on the same days, it is reminded that the legal regulation foreseeing 1-3 years imprisonment for exorbitant rent was prepared, and our people were in need of expensive and old cars.
 
In short, all figures in the economy are working against narrow and fixed incomes. In other words, the economic model being implemented is decreasing the purchasing power of money, let alone growing. In short, the low-income segment cannot keep up with the price increases. That's why, in recent years, the minimum wage has been set twice a year. Besides, there is not much left for people to do in the face of rent increases.
 
Because, in an environment where legal regulations are on the agenda in order to prevent and at least limit the increase in rents, I think that bringing to the agenda that our economy is getting stronger, and continues to get stronger, does not mean much more than distracting the society with perceptions to be created, rather than the expression of the truth.
 
In the meantime, it is no longer possible to say that the welfare level of the retirees has increased, let alone to meet the price increases. In the meantime, while it is not possible to keep up with the rents, the housing prices are now narrow, and the fixed incomes have even destroyed their dreams of owning a house.
 
Whereas, in this country, even people who work on a salary can come together and become a home owner by gathering under the roof of a cooperative. Nowadays, there is no trace of those practices, and an application has not been introduced to meet the needs of narrow and fixed incomes.
 
In summary, while the economic conditions of the country are so negative, it is necessary to tell the society that our economy is getting stronger, and since it will not meet the needs of the society, it is necessary to take new measures and implement new practices.
 
Meanwhile, it constitutes a separate dimension of the business, where the domestic and foreign debt stocks have reached dangerous dimensions. While the allegations that we break a record in exports at the end of each month are reflected on the agenda, it is ignored that foreign trade is two-way and that it also has an import dimension. And while the export growth hits the headlines, the records broken in imports are ignored. However, ignoring this contradiction does not eliminate our foreign trade deficit.
 
Of course, while the increasing current account deficit inevitably increases our domestic and foreign debt, the interest rates on our debts are constantly increasing and a significant part of our budget goes to these interest payments. As a result, making an additional budget every year in recent years has come to the agenda.
 
In these conditions, it may be positive to paint a rosy picture of the economy and not to alarm the society, but as long as the negativity in the economy continues, our money will turn into stamps and our people will fall into more trouble with each passing day. In this respect, it is necessary to take action as a state primarily to meet the need for rental or sale housing. Because owning a home is one of the most basic rights for people.

YEREL HABERLER

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