The last month of last year passed in complete uncertainty and economic turmoil. Especially the rapid increase in the value of the dollar was reflected in the domestic market as price increases. In addition, it was reflected in such a way that even though it was mixed with humor, it was even said and written that the employees in the markets could not keep up with changing the labels. On top of that, it was even said that the price of the product bought from the shelf changes until it reaches the cashier.
Of course, while conveying all these, it would not be wrong to say that there is a little joke involved. However, there were price increases of 50 percent, or even more than 100 percent, for all products. Especially when there is a liquid oil, it is as if it suddenly ceased to be oil and turned into gold. Because it was not even possible for the citizens to follow the price increases in oil. As such, those who bought one or two liters of oil when needed started to buy 5 liters. They wanted to protect their budget, even for a short time, from the new hike in oil prices.
We can say that the free market has turned into a rambling market. Meanwhile, the winners were only domestic and global capital owners. Because in this system, they are the winners in every situation, and those with low and fixed incomes are the ones who are destined to be the losers. Without further ado, we can say that when the dollar reaches 18 TL, a new application has been introduced to protect TL against the rise in the exchange rate, or rather to protect those who deposit money in TL. Since then, the dollar has been circulating between 12 and 14 TL. In short, his fever has dropped a little. However, until this point, the prices in the markets increased by at least 50 percent and 100 percent in a year, and the narrow and fixed-income people were thoroughly overwhelmed. At such a point, the minimum wage was increased by 50 percent. Then, the increases to be applied in 2022 for civil servants and retirees were determined.
TURKSTAT announced annual inflation as 36 percent. In this respect, the increase in wages was also around the figure announced by TURKSTAT. However, the 50 percent increase in the minimum wage suggested that at least a similar increase could be made, especially in pensions. However, this did not happen, and for some reason, the increase in employees was seen too much for retirees. Although, in the statement made, it was announced that the lower limit of pensions was increased from 1,500 lira to 2,500 lira, and with this, it was tried to create the impression that retirees were raised by up to 70 percent. However, it was tried to be overlooked that the limit of 1,500 in pensions being implemented is a figure beyond misery. Moreover, between the explanations and discussions for days, the newly determined lower limit of 2,500 lira was also well below the minimum wage. Because the pro-government media and spokespersons of the government kept repeating the thousand lira increase in workers' pensions, which was made at the lower limit. It was as if, with this increase, retirees got rid of the salary below the minimum wage and became able to breathe easily. No one said to those who came out and took this decision, let's see with this 2 thousand 500 liras, you can earn a living for a month, not a lot.
As a result, worker retirees received an increase of close to 25 percent. In the meantime, while the lower limit was reduced from 1,500 to 2,500, the wage of 1,500 liras increased by 25 percent, and from there, it was completed to 2,500. Whereas, a thousand lira increase would be made on the lowest worker's pension first, and then a 25 percent increase could have been added. So that's what the state has.
As a result, worker retirees have not been able to escape below the hunger limit this year, either. Maybe someone can say that it exists in those who receive high pensions. Of course it has to be. However, the situation of those who try to support a house with 2,500-3 thousand liras should not be overlooked. Nobody should think that retirees don't need money, they also have the right to live humanely. In short, workers' pensioners were treated stingy compared to other segments. It should be noted that those who think that this behavior will help the country get out of the bottleneck it is in are wrong. Because it is unfair to demand sacrifice only from those with low and fixed incomes.