Although there are many topics and problems to talk about the economy, there are still narratives of who say "We have paid the IMF debt"… While all segments of the society, more precisely except the supporters of the power and profiteer, all segments have suffered from the worsening of the economic situation since the last 3-4 years, while the cost of living and livelihood problems have increased on the social basis, the number of borrowers and those condemned to loans has reached terrible levels, while the number of unemployed people, especially young unemployed people who are just starting their lives, is growing like an avalanche and while all these are happening, we are still listening to the statements of "we have paid the IMF debt" as a society.
However, the payment of that debt was guaranteed by the IMF in accordance with the stand-by agreement. The "primary surplus" target dictated to the governments was a mechanism to ensure the repayment of the IMF debt, and nobody heard the AKP government refuse to do so.
On the other hand, while the perception of “we have no debt” is pumped into the society, in reality the Treasury declares a “borrowing strategy” every 3 months. According to this "strategy", that is, "pay the debt with debt and make new borrowings", the Ministry of Treasury and Finance will make a domestic borrowing of 128.2 billion TL in March-May period to pay 116.5 billion TL of domestic debt.
According to the politicians, "we have no debt", but despite this, the Treasury will pay a total of 157 billion lira debt in 3 months, of which 61.8 billion lira in March, 41.2 billion lira in April and 54 billion lira in May.
As a matter of fact, an "IMF program without IMF" is being implemented quietly and this is done by wrapping it in packages like "new era in economy". It is trying to fight against inflation, but what happened is just that we are living in a "high interest period". This new strategy has been welcomed by international finance capital and its institutions with such decency that the state agency itself receives opinions and reports from financial institutions, which were labeled as "the tool of global powers" at other times. For example, Moody’s statement "We are pleased with the recent policy change", for example.
As a remedy for the economic crisis or turmoil, there is again a “painful recipe” and the cost of living, livelihood and unemployment falls on the share of the citizen, while the share of the rentiers is the "sweet earnings(!) from interest".
By the way, it is interesting that the previous Treasury and Finance Minister's most prominent act, "melting reserves to suppress foreign exchange", has publicly acknowledged the issue of steaming the Central Bank reserves of $ 128 billion. It is stated that this is done for “financial balancing”, but there is no balanced financial environment. There are only millions who drink a vigilant exchange rate, high interest rates and “bitter prescriptions” that make rentiers and interest-makers happy, and become poorer than ever before.
Citizen, despite living day by day, says "at least not worse," instead of "crisis" because he cannot see it in the media because a very large part of the media is under control and is confused with the opposite perceptions. With the increase in exchange rates, the public is not accountable even for the wasted reserves to wake up from this heedless slumber and say “there is a crisis”.
There is also an undeniable truth between the fancy growth figures and their boasting that we broke the world record. Although many people know, they do not speak, but on the contrary, they praise this reality... Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO) President Nurettin Özdebir said that the government could not follow a policy that could generate employment, including high growth periods, and that Turkey faced the problem of "unemployed" and "undeveloped" growth for years. says. Stating that growth is achieved by foreign borrowing, not by industrial investments, Özdebir states that 5.7 million young people who are not in education and business life point to greater employment problems in the future.
The last announced 2020 growth data is also a separate chapter. Although there is 1.8 percent growth on paper, per capita income has declined from 9100 dollars in 2019 to 8600 dollars in 2020. Growth does not cause either employment or an increase in welfare. This situation has been going on since 2014. While growing on paper, there is a regression that becomes permanent as national income, that is impoverishment.
To keep people busy with empty polemics such as the IMF debt or to drown the agenda with no meaningful discussions such as "He sunk the Social Insurance Institution (SSK)" without talking or bringing up any of the issues such as the cost of living, financial difficulties, indebtedness, unemployment, employment and growth that does not produce welfare, etc. the problems are exacerbated.