25.10.2026 14:01
Erol Yıldırım, a 65-year-old retiree living in Artvin, said that he had to sell his two cars to cover the costs of his kidney transplant treatment. Yıldırım, who continues to work in order to care for his family and his father-in-law despite his pacemaker and stents, said that he pays 5-6 thousand lira each month for medications not covered by the state.
Erol Yıldırım, a 65-year-old retiree living in Artvin, said that due to kidney transplant treatment he sold his two cars, and that despite a pacemaker and serious health problems he continues to work to make a living. Yıldırım, who stated that he pays 5-6 thousand lira out of pocket every month for medication costs, said, "We work in our youth, and in retirement we spend that money in hospitals. Because the money we earned in our youth was not worth anything."
Citizens speaking to ANKA News Agency complained about economic conditions. Citizens stated that their budgets are strained in many areas, from health expenses to grocery shopping.
SOLD TWO CARS FOR A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT
Erol Yıldırım, a resident of the city, said he retired in 2005 but continued working due to health problems and financial hardship. Yıldırım, who recounted that he had to sell two cars for kidney transplant treatment, also stated that medication costs placed a heavy burden on his budget.
Yıldırım said the following:
"They say that state hospitals and private hospitals are free. There is no such thing. When I had a kidney transplant, I had to sell two cars so I could receive treatment. After that, when buying medicines, I pay at least 5-6 thousand lira every month that the state does not cover. I have kidney medicines. I have a pacemaker, two stents are fitted here, and one is blocked. I am still 65 years old and right now I am obliged to work. Because I have a father-in-law I am responsible for caring for, and I have a family. I work to provide for them. Can they get by on a salary of 25 thousand lira?
Even though I endure this suffering, my heart runs on a pacemaker. The doctor said, 'You will not lift heavy things, you will not lift even one kilogram.' But our living conditions are not like that; we sacrifice our lives. We work in our youth, and in retirement we spend that money in hospitals. Because the money we earned in our youth was not worth anything. Right now, thank God, we have our God, and we are grateful."
I OFTEN CANNOT AFFORD THE MARKET SHOPPING
Another person from Artvin stated that he could not retire and tries to make a living by working day jobs whenever he can find them. Explaining that grocery shopping has become a significant expense, the citizen noted the following:
"I am not retired. If we find work, I work; if we don't find work, I stay at home. Living conditions are hard, economic conditions are hard. You go to the market, you come home, you need to have 2-3 thousand lira in your pocket to be able to do a household's market shopping. I can sometimes afford household shopping, but most of the time I cannot afford market shopping. We see meat in our house once every six months.
We need to reconsider the economy. Whether agriculture or livestock, all of these must be supported so that people can live comfortably. With animals imported from abroad, our farmers here are being wiped out. The villager used to be the master of the nation. Now the mastery is over; he has turned into the nation's servant."
I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYONE RETURN EMPTY-HANDED FROM THE MARKET
Retired Artvin resident Hüseyin Güneş, while acknowledging that prices at the market are high, argued that citizens are able to shop. Noting that producers also have costs, Güneş spoke as follows:
"Everything is abundant at the market, and money is abundant too. In other words, they are crying falsely. I follow it a bit, to see whether they cannot buy. Everyone is buying something. I have not seen anyone return empty-handed from the market. It is a bit high, but everything else is high accordingly. The man has now planted tomatoes, finished them, brought them here. Of course it has a cost. He is not going to lift it and sell it cheap. The man lies at home and says, 'It's expensive.' Well, go and do it yourself, let's see how it will be?"
THREE ITEMS 500 LIRA
Another citizen shopping at the weekly market in Artvin stated that he paid 500 lira for a few products he bought. Saying that meeting the needs of a family of five is becoming increasingly difficult, the citizen said, "Honestly, I have just done my shopping, but I bought one cauliflower, one pomegranate, some cucumbers, pickling cucumbers. Honestly, right now three items are 500 lira. We try to make it enough, but it is not enough. When it is a family of five, it is not enough. That is the situation. Not only Artvin, Turkey is expensive."