CHP leader Özel's strong reaction to the government: This is not called a price increase, it is a betrayal to retirees.

CHP leader Özgür Özel criticized the government for the increase in the minimum pension in his party's group meeting. Özel harshly criticized the government, saying, "Our expectation was the minimum wage. AK Party Group Chairman Abdullah Güler announced it. When they said 'Abdullah Güler will announce it', the situation became clear. 12,500 lira. This is not a raise, it is a betrayal to the retirees."

CHP leader Özgür Özel made important statements about politics and the economy at his party's group meeting in the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) today.

"THIS IS NOT A RAISE, IT IS A BETRAYAL TO THE RETIREES"

Özel criticized the government for the minimum pension being 12,500 lira. Özel said, "Our expectation was the minimum wage. AK Party Group Chairman Abdullah Güler announced it. When they said 'Abdullah Güler will announce it', the situation became clear. Tayyip Bey, what good news did you let Abdullah Güler announce about the minimum pension? 12,500 lira. Six months ago, the minimum pension could buy 25 kilograms of ground beef. Yesterday, it dropped to 16 kilograms. Today, with their so-called raise, it increased to 20 kilograms. This is not a raise, it is a betrayal to the retirees. Shame on them. While the poverty line is 19,000 lira, they are offering 17,000 lira as the minimum wage to those who have worked hard, shed sweat and tears for this country, and have brought this country to where it is today. We, as the CHP, will rescue this nation from this predicament, we will rescue you from their hands. Until we put an end to this system that favors the rich and exploits the poor, we will work for you, fight for you, and fight for your rights. In this country, either the people will be happy or the people's power that makes them happy will come. If there is no livelihood, there will be elections very soon."

Here are some highlights from Özgür Özel's speech:

"Wherever there is a problem, the CHP group runs and goes. We were called from Elazığ. Elazığ Eti Krom workers said, 'Come, CHP'. Deniz Yavuzyılmaz, İlhami Özcan Aygun, Cevdet Akay, and Gürsel Erol were with them this weekend. The issue is this: There is a boss. He bought the chrome mine from the state through a tender. According to the constitution, the mines belong to us. They give them the right to operate - which is circumventing the constitution. If you have taken the mine, there is nothing left to operate. This company extracts chrome for $60. They sell this chrome abroad for $1,000. This company has numerous companies and ships in Turkey, not to mention the ports it has acquired in many parts of the world. And the employees of this company, when July comes, they asked for an inflation raise. They also said, 'They are not giving us bonuses. We want our bonuses.' They protested. Ali Rıza Yıldırım, who became rich by buying all of our chrome for $60 and selling it for $1,000, scolds the workers. He says, 'I will shut it down, you will starve.' He threatens the workers. Whose mine are you shutting down? Who are you? Who spoiled you like this? A distorted privatization like the privatization of electricity. There is a meeting tomorrow, our friends arranged it. I say to that arrogant Ali Rıza Yıldırım: either you give the workers their rights or we will come and take your forehead."

"I APPEAL TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT: MAKE YOUR DECISION REGARDING CAN ATALAY INDEPENDENTLY OF WHO APPOINTED YOU"

Five people are in prison from the Gezi trial. Five of our comrades are in prison. They are lying in our place. Because I say it again, without shame, without embarrassment, without hesitation: Gezi is us, my brother. We were all in Gezi. Gezi is our honor. One of them is Can Atalay. He was elected as a member of parliament from Hatay on May 14. The people said, 'Go, do your duty.' He was invited to the podium at the swearing-in ceremony by Mr. Bahçeli. They didn't let him come. When we voted for the selection of the commissions, all the members of parliament. Can Atalay was unanimously elected to the Human Rights Commission. They said they wouldn't allow it. So, someone is resisting the people, the parliament. Then they went to court. The Court of Cassation rejected the release application. The Constitutional Court (AYM) declared a violation of rights. The Court of Cassation's 13th Criminal Chamber defied this decision. On January 30, they read the decision and stripped Can Atalay of his parliamentary membership. Article 85 of the Constitution says, 'If your membership is revoked, you have seven days. Apply to the Constitutional Court, they have 15 days to make a decision.' Can Atalay's application was made to the Constitutional Court within the specified period. The court made a decision. It said, 'The procedure is completely null and void.' We have been waiting for the reasoned decision since that day. I don't know how much longer this decision can wait. My intention is not to tarnish the Constitutional Court. But against those who are constantly undermining themselves, consuming themselves, and defying their own decisions; there is a Constitutional Court that is submissive and trampled upon. I appeal to the members of the Constitutional Court: Make a decision based on your conscience, independent of who appointed you and all the evaluations made about you. Let this disgrace end."

"TAYFUN KAHRAMAN, MINE ÖZERDEN, ÇİĞDEM MATER ARE IN PRISON FOR NO REASON"

Tayfun Kahraman is the person who displayed the most peaceful, reconciliatory, and correct attitude during the Gezi Park process. He is in prison for no reason, separated from his daughter Vera. Mine Özerden has not been able to reach any of the accounts that FETÖ members claim she opened with Kavala's instructions and supported Gezi with millions of dollars, but she is in prison. Çiğdem Mater came from Germany to Turkey to make a documentary about Gezi. There is no documentary. Çiğdem Mater is in prison. And finally, Osman Kavala, who has been in prison for more than seven years, today, Tuğrul Türkeş made a statement. Today, Tuğrul Türkeş, the son of Alparslan Türkeş, who is called the leader and respected by everyone who comes from the nationalist movement, the founder of the party from which the MHP takes its roots, is the head of the Turkish delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

"LET'S SEE WHAT THE MHP WILL SAY TO TUĞRUL TÜRKEŞ"

We pledge to comply with the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), as guaranteed in the Constitution.

"THEY INTRODUCED A DEATH LAW THAT THREATENS THE PRIMARY RIGHT TO LIFE OF ANIMALS"

They introduced a 17-article law and presented it to the Parliament. This 17-article law is supposedly an animal rights law. Yes, there is a problem with stray dogs in Turkey and we want it to be solved. However, instead of applying humane, rational, and scientific methods to solve this problem, they presented a law proposal that legitimizes killing with vague expressions and completely leaves the solution to municipalities and the discretion of implementers, postponing the shelter issue and responsibilities until the end of 2028. In other words, they are causing harm to the primary right to life of animals, which is the most important right of animals, under the guise of animal rights. They explicitly wrote, 'Physically disabled animals.' They will take dogs like Mira, who has no leg, or disabled dogs like Leblebi, which are owned by Mrs. Emine and Mr. Tayyip, and put an end to their lives through euthanasia. They will do something that will remove the most important barrier between wild animals and urban life and cause rabies to become a threat to humans.

"OUR GROUP WILL SHOW A HISTORICAL RESISTANCE TO THE DEATH AND EXECUTION LAW"

Regardless of their political views, all of us - I also told this to Mr. Erdoğan - are sensitive to animal rights issues for our children and grandchildren. When you kill millions of dogs - and not to mention millions of cats - in front of their eyes, you will create a trauma that will not forgive any of us in one generation. They are now trying to engage in this massacre after suddenly abandoning the love for animals in Turkey. As the CHP, we are against this. We say to animal lovers and to those who have devoted themselves to all parties, including the AK Party, MHP, İYİ Party, and DEM Party, regardless of their political views: Our group in this hall, under the name of the animal rights law, will show a historical resistance to the death and execution law with all its might. We promise.

"GIVE THE RIGHTS OF THE PRODUCER"

Farmers, the villagers who are the masters of the nation, are going through the most difficult days in history. Base prices are announced one by one. Now the price of hazelnuts will be announced. We are in a process where a very large geography from Sakarya to Trabzon, which concerns all our deputies, is struggling for a good base price with great effort and dedication. There is a 130 billion lira hazelnut market. 100 billion of this is ours, and we are left with 2 billion lira. The real injustice is here, the incompetence is here. The presidents of the Chamber of Agriculture in Ordu determined the cost of one kilogram of hazelnuts as 117 lira and announced their expectation of a base price of 160. Since the common price of the Chamber of Agriculture presidents is 160, we also embrace this 160 lira. And we say once again from here: Do not make our producers slaves to foreign companies. Do not leave them at the mercy of international cartels. We determine the price of this product. If we determine it, they will comply. If you determine it by falling like last year, you will crush the hazelnut producer. Any price announced below 160 lira will enrich the cartels of the world's richest chocolate producers and ruin our producers. We warn before it's too late. Do not announce the price of hazelnuts below 160 lira. Do not victimize a vast geography from Sakarya to Trabzon. Give the rights of the producer. We demand our rights, not more.

"THIS NATION IS EXPERIENCING THE GREATEST POVERTY IN ITS HISTORY"

In the past few months, there have been price increases in everything from needles to threads, but as of July 1st, there has been no increase in the minimum wage. Those who claim to have increased the minimum wage have taken away and destroyed what the worker had by unleashing the inflation monster on them. Last week, we asked for the lights to be turned on and off. There were participations from all over Turkey to the three-day protest we carried out. But some said, 'There is not enough light.' What do you mean? Are you saying 'There is no difficulty in making a living in Turkey'? Democracy is about expressing opposition and protest. For 22 years, they took the streets away from this nation, stole their voice from their throats, took applause from their palms, and stole slogans from their mouths. Without shame or embarrassment, if the worker resists, they call them a worker; if it's a retiree, they call them a retiree; if it's a laborer, they call them a laborer. We are in the squares, with you, not behind you; we continue to support the struggle. And a word to the keyboard opposition, Twitter leftists: My friend, stop being a leftist on Twitter, stop being an opposition on the keyboard. This nation is experiencing the greatest poverty in its history. Come out to the squares, support the struggle. "