Felicity (Saadet) Party Chairman Temel Karamollaoğlu made critical assessments on the agenda at the weekly press conference held at his party's headquarters. Recalling the statement made by the Syrian People's Assembly regarding Hatay last week, he stated that the statement made was extremely out of place and without measure. Karamollaoğlu said, “No one should fall into the logical error of comparing Hatay's accession to the homeland 82 years ago with the reasons for Turkey's presence in Syria. After the recent developments in the Middle East and the Mediterranean, it has been understood once again that; Hatay and Cyprus are the insurance of Turkey."
“WE HAVE GROWN IN NUMBERS, HAS GROWTH INCREASED OUR WEALTH?”
Referring to the economic crisis environment in Turkey, Karamollaoğlu underlined that according to the growth figures announced by the Presidency of Strategy and Budget, there has been a continuous growth since 2013, except for 2019, “I regret to say that today's government. which will be the first government to reveal the impoverishing growth thesis. Looking at the data of the Presidency of Strategy and Budget; according to the Gross Domestic Product (GSYH) growth figures, I draw your attention, I say ‘according to the figures’, we have grown every year since 2013, except for 2019. We grew up with numbers. So, has this growth figure increased our well-being? Or has it made our people poorer, the answer to the question is actually important," Karamollaoğlu said.
THE FLUCTUATION IN THE CURRENCY MELTS THE INCOME OF THE WAGE SLAVES
Karamollaoğlu stated that the growth experienced was not distributed to the whole society, and that growth only enabled a small group of people who had a strong bond with the government to become rich. Reminding that the per capita income in dollar terms has been decreasing for 7 years in a row, “These data show that our per capita welfare has decreased with the increasing population despite our growth in Turkish Liras (TL) terms. In other words, we are supposedly growing, but our people are getting poorer day by day. What is even worse is that the income amount of the country in general on the basis of dollar decreases, the share of the low-income person from the national income decreases. Especially in recent days, with the rapid increase in the dollar exchange rate, the income of the ‘wage slaves’ wage earners has almost evaporated. While the rich with Dollars and wealth have become richer, the poor have become even poorer,” he added.
“AN INCREASE BELOW INFLATION IS NOT A GENUINE INCREASE”
Reminding that the minimum wage negotiations are continuing, Karamollaoğlu stated that the economic crisis environment led to serious meltdowns in the salaries of the minimum wage earners and said, "The salary of a minimum wage earner, which was about 385 Dollars ($) at the beginning of the year, has decreased to $206 today. Now they say they will raise 30-35 percent, and they brag about it. We'll wait and see. As the cost of living continues to increase like this, as long as inflation is constantly increasing and purchasing power is constantly decreasing; what happens if you raise 40 percent, what happens if you raise 60 percent? Even if you raise 100 percent today, the Dollar equivalent that corresponds to the previous year can only be exceeded. You can't call it a raise either! We insistently say this and will continue to say it. An increase below inflation is not a real increase."
“THEY SELL NEW DREAMS FOR 6 MONTHS LATER”
Drawing attention to the fluctuations in exchange rates, Karamollaoğlu stated that citizens from neighboring countries came to Turkey for shopping as a result of the fluctuation in dollar rates, “Irrational economic policies have made our country a cheap market. Turkish Liras lose in value, Turkey has become a cheap market. The government, which could not cope with the foreign exchange, is supposed to develop Turkey with the Chinese model. Should this be the model proposed by a government that left 19 years behind in its 20th year? The promise of 6 months of 20 years of power is just funny. Turkey cannot be governed, it sways from side to side in economy, in foreign policy, in security, in social policies. Unfortunately, no one has any confidence left in the government, which does not know what it is doing, constantly changes its direction, and hurls the country here and there. 6 months ago, those who say that we will fly for today, everyone will be jealous of us, are now selling new dreams for 6 months later from now,” Saadet Party Chairman Temel Karamollaoğlu added.
“240 BILLION TL WILL BE SPENT ON INTEREST PAYMENTS IN 2022”
Reminding that the 2022 budget negotiations are continuing in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), Karamollaoğlu stated that the interest occupies a very big amount in the budget and said, “The 2022 budget is not the public budget, but the unearned income budget. Interest expenses will increase again. In 2022, 240 billion TL will be spent on interest payments. The 2022 budget is not the production budget, but the consumption budget. When we examine the budget of the General Directorate of Highways (KGM), approximately 20 billion TL will be paid to the operators of structures such as bridges, highways and tunnels within the scope of guarantee payments. There is nothing in the 2022 budget that will cure the nation's problems. In this budget, there are no pensioners, no minimum wage earners, no civil servants, workers, laborers. There are no tradesmen and craftsmen who are trying to survive with scarcity. There is no farmer or producer. In the 2022 budget, there are no signs or glimmers of hope that this government can pull the country off. It is now very clear; as long as the Justice and Development (AK) Party remains in power, our labor will become cheaper every day, our bread will get smaller, our belts will be tightened even more.”
"WE WILL CHANGE THE HOSE MANIFOLD"
Karamollaoğlu stated that if the Saadet Party comes to power in the next elections, they will produce solutions to all the problems of the country, “As the Saadet Party, we have a promise to our nation. When we come to power with the favor of our nation, be sure, there will not be a single family in our country that says I can't meet my own needs. Despite the decrease in our national income today, today's problems will disappear if the current national income is distributed fairly in the society. We will change the mouth of the hose that flows into the pockets of very few people," he added.
“OUR FIRST JOB WILL BE TO OPEN THE STATE PLANNING ORGANIZATION”
Emphasizing that when they took over the power as the Saadet Party, their first plan is to reopen the closed State Planning Organization (DPT), Karamollaoğlu said, “When we take over the power, our first job will be to reopen the State Planning Organization, which AK Party government closed, in a powerful way. Right after, we will eliminate waste at all levels of the state. When we get the authorization, we will review all the projects with foreign exchange guarantee, put an end to abuses and definitely convert the transition guarantees to TL. We will not allow any arbitrary payment. We will stop all public tenders that are not urgent.”
“IN OUR POWER, WE WILL END THE ECONOMY BASED ON INTEREST AND WASTAGE”
Underlining that they will rebuild the environment of trust with the Saadet government, Karamollaoğlu stated that trust and stability are important for the recovery of the economy, "When we come to power, we will quickly take steps to ensure the rule of law and rebuild the environment of trust. Because the economy, first of all, requires trust and stability. In the Saadet government, stability-oriented macroeconomic and financial policies will be implemented quickly. We will put an end to the understanding of economy based on debt, interest and wastage, and continue on our way with an economy model based on production and employment. Only in 1996, Erbakan Hodja gave 130 percent to civil servants shows that; if you are determined, you can take steps that will cure the citizens' problems," he added.