30.10.2025 17:21
A striking statement regarding the welfare share that has not been given to civil servants and retirees for 2 years has come from the MHP (Nationalist Movement Party). In evaluations related to the budget discussions, MHP Konya Deputy Mehmet Kalaycı stated that in addition to the salary increases to be made in January, additional welfare shares should be provided to retirees and public employees as far as budgetary possibilities allow.
The TBMM Planning and Budget Commission convened under the chairmanship of AK Party Samsun Deputy Mehmet Muş. Today, the general discussion of the 2026 Central Government Budget Law Proposal and the 2024 Central Government Final Account Law Proposal will take place in the commission. President Cevdet Yılmaz, who made a presentation in the commission last week, will answer the questions of the deputies.
"STRUCTURAL REFORMS MUST BE IMPLEMENTED"
Making evaluations regarding the 2026 central budget, MHP Konya Deputy Mehmet Kalaycı emphasized that Turkey is in a period where it has made significant strides and structural reforms within political stability, stating, "During this period, structural reforms must be implemented in fundamental areas such as production, savings, taxation, spending, income distribution, agriculture, working life, and social security, as well as adaptation to the digital economy and climate change, along with policies aimed at ensuring price stability."
INCREASE FOR CIVIL SERVANTS AND RETIREES
Kalaycı pointed out that regulations should be made to increase the purchasing power and welfare of citizens with fixed and low incomes, including retirees, workers, small tradesmen, and farmers, stating, "According to the 8th Term Collective Agreement, an increase of 11% will be made for the first 6 months and 7% for the second 6 months of 2026 for our civil servants and civil servant retirees. For 2027, there will be an increase of 5% for the first 6 months and 4% for the second 6 months. Additionally, the inflation difference will be reflected in salaries," noting that the personnel and wage system applied in the public sector has turned into a complex structure, leading to status and wage confusion.
"INEQUALITY MUST BE ADDRESSED GRADUALLY"
Kalaycı stated, "It is deemed necessary to eliminate the employment chaos in the public sector, ensure justice between salaries, and reorganize the monthly levels based on duties and responsibilities," and continued: "The Law No. 5510 stipulates that SSK and Bağ-Kur retirement pensions are to be increased by the rate of the previous 6-month CPI change in January and July. Accordingly, SSK and Bağ-Kur retirement pensions have been increased by 86.16% in 2024 and by 35% in 2025. The lowest retirement pension has also been raised to 16,881 lira in 2024. The Nationalist Movement Party believes that it would be appropriate to provide an additional welfare share with the increase to be made in January within the framework of budgetary possibilities for the monthly salaries of retirees and public employees. Furthermore, we see it as essential to make regulations that will gradually eliminate the inequalities that have arisen between retirement pensions."
CRITICISM FROM DEM PARTY'S DOĞAN
DEM Party Şırnak Deputy Ayşegül Doğan stated, "Overall, it does not seem that good will come out of this," adding that millions are watching and listening to this budget. Doğan noted, "The voices and demands of women, youth, workers, retirees, and those living below the poverty line, even the hunger line, have unfortunately not been reflected in this budget, just as they were not in other budgets."