If purchasing power were maintained, the retiree would receive a salary of at least 13,500 TL.

Kazım Ergün, president of the Turkish Pensioners Association (TÜED), said that retirees expect a salary increase of 8.77 liras after the opening of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey yesterday.

Comparing the pensions with those of 10 years ago, Ergün said: “The lowest SSK pension was 1.47 percent above the hunger threshold in September 2013, but today it has decreased by 43.75 percent in terms real. “If it had maintained its value 10 years ago against the hunger line, the minimum pension should have been 13,530 lire,” he said.

TÜED President Kazım Ergün assessed the provisional expectations of retirees. Recalling the opening of the new legislative year of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Ergün said: “Civil servants received a continuous increase of 8.77 lira, starting in July. Since the regulation is expected to be adopted in October, retirees should receive a prorated increase of 8,000 77 lira, the same as civil servants. Furthermore, the retiree’s base salary of 7,500 lira was insufficient. “The lowest pension should be increased at least to the level of the minimum wage,” he said.

‘RECOVERING LOSSES IS BECOME DIFFICULT’

Ergün stated the following in his statement:

“Our pensioners, widows and orphans have become literally unable to breathe due to economic conditions that are worsening day by day. Our esteemed President, who is aware of the complaints of our retirees, stated a few days ago that the necessary measures will be taken in this regard as soon as Parliament opens in October; Our Minister of Labor and Social Security, Mr. Vedat Işıkhan, stated that they received the necessary instructions from our President and that what is necessary will be done in October; Binali Yıldırım said that as soon as Parliament opens, a serious study will be carried out and improvements will be made regarding all pensioners, especially those who receive 7,500 lira. Of course, these statements have created high expectations in our retirement community, but with each passing day, our retirees are finding it more difficult to make up for their losses.

‘THE SENIORS TOOK THE RETIRED’S BREATH’

Our purchasing power is gradually decreasing and a pension is not even enough to cover half a month’s rent. Our pensioners, widows and orphans, who cannot afford their health expenses, now have problems with healthy nutrition. The successive increases left retirees breathless.

While 10 years ago pensions were 1.47 percent above the hunger line, today they can only cover 56.25 percent, that is, almost half of the hunger line. However, if we had been able to maintain the same purchasing power, the lowest SSK pension today would have been 13,530 TL. “Now it is inevitable to take urgent measures.” (PHOENIX)