21.05.2026 15:50
In the Haberler.com studios, Fatih Erbakan, the Chairman of the Yeniden Refah Party, who evaluated current issues, explained the formula to raise the minimum wage above 50,000 TL if they come to power.
Fatih Erbakan, Chairman of the New Welfare Party, who answered questions from News Director Olgun Kızıltepe and presenter Melis Yaşar on Haberler.com channels, made striking assessments on economic problems.
"A BALANCED BUDGET MUST BE ESTABLISHED"
When asked "What would be your first economic action if you come to power?", Fatih Erbakan stated: "The first action must certainly be the establishment of a balanced budget. The importance of a balanced budget is this: The interest the state pays this year and will pay in 2026 is at the level of 60 billion dollars. 60 billion dollars is as much as the revenue the AK Party government obtained from all privatizations in 23 years. So think, a 23-year government sold and privatized the assets, factories, and industrial facilities of an 80-year republic. The money obtained is 60 billion dollars, and you give it all as interest in one year. This is horrifying. Therefore, a balanced budget is necessary.
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"THERE IS UNFAIR RESOURCE TRANSFER TO PRIVILEGED HOLDINGS"
How will a balanced budget be achieved? First, waste in the public sector must be prevented. Second, unfair resource transfers to privileged holdings must be stopped. For example, this year the government provides 2.4 trillion lira in exemptions from income and corporate taxes. 1 trillion of this means writing off the tax debts of 8 holdings. So you are not collecting 1 trillion lira in taxes from them. On the other hand, there is a 250 billion lira guarantee payment for city hospitals, airports, bridges, and highways. Nearly two-thirds of this is excess money given... Therefore, there is an unfair resource transfer of 1.25 trillion to privileged holdings. 2 trillion is waste, and 2.7 trillion goes to interest. These must be saved, prevented, and given to the nation.
"YOU WILL GIVE THE RESOURCES SAVED FROM WASTE TO THE NATION"
To achieve a balanced budget, you will prevent waste and stop unfair resource transfers to those privileged individuals. And you will activate the resources in the National Resource Packages book put forward by our New Welfare Party and make a balanced budget with these resources. When you have a balanced budget, it means you will not borrow again and you will get rid of the 60 billion dollars in interest you pay every year. When you get rid of this interest, you will give both this opportunity, the opportunity created by national resource packages, the opportunity saved from privileged holdings, and the opportunity saved from waste to the nation. To workers, civil servants, retirees, industrialists, entrepreneurs, farmers, and villagers. And with the understanding of 'nation first', you will make the nation smile. This was done in '96-'97.
"THE MINIMUM WAGE WILL RISE ABOVE 50 THOUSAND LIRA"
If what you say is implemented, the minimum wage will at least rise above 50 thousand lira. Retiree pensions will reach the minimum wage level. And of course, when these opportunities are provided, it will be possible to make fifty percent reductions in natural gas, electricity, and fuel. That is, a hundred percent increase in salaries and a fifty percent decrease in basic expenses like natural gas, electricity, and fuel can be immediately reflected to the nation.
"THERE IS NO JUSTICE IN DISTRIBUTION"
Opportunities exist, resources exist, but there is no justice in distribution. They go to privileged holdings. For example, a mine... A copper mine in Boyabat, Sinop. According to MTA's report, there is 480 billion lira worth of ore. It was privatized for 3.5 billion lira. It was given to a famous holding, no need to name it. You put 470 billion lira of the nation's money into the holding's pocket. These must be prevented, and the money saved from these must make the nation smile. Money exists, resources exist, but choices are wrong, economic management is wrong, there is no justice in distribution, priorities are wrong. Interest first, waste and luxury first, the privileged first. No, we say that when the National Vision New Welfare Party comes, it will say nation first, the oppressed first, the downtrodden first. And it will, God willing, put these resources at the service of the nation."