14.11.2026 15:01
AK Party Deputy Chairman Mustafa Şen, agreeing with citizens who find retirement pensions and the minimum wage insufficient, said, "I agree with them. They are right." Noting that intensive work has been carried out in Ankara to increase incomes, Şen said, "Hopefully, our retirees' incomes will rise to a level at which they will be more satisfied."
Within the scope of AK Party Türkiye Century Meetings, AK Party Deputy Chairman and Head of R&D Education Mustafa Şen attended the press meeting held in Muğla. In the program, Şen made assessments on Türkiye's domestic and foreign policy, economy, fight against terrorism, defense industry, new constitution efforts, and upcoming elections, and stated that the AK Party continues its work by coming together with citizens in 81 provinces.
"WE ARE TOGETHER WITH OUR PEOPLE IN 81 PROVINCES"
Stating that Türkiye Century Meetings is a work carried out in 81 provinces, Şen said, "As the AK Party, we are constantly with our people, we are constantly on the streets. We are together with our people in our cities, districts, and villages. We carry out these programs in order to see the investments we have made in our provinces on site, meet with members of the press, convey our work, and listen to the complaints and suggestions of our citizens and fulfill the requirements in Ankara."
"TÜRKİYE IS A COUNTRY BETWEEN TWO WARS"
Touching on regional developments as well, Şen stated that Türkiye is going through an important geopolitical process and drew attention to the wars continuing in the north and southeast. Stating that the problems experienced in wheat and natural gas shipments in the Black Sea were overcome through the initiatives of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Şen noted that efforts are also being carried out to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Touching on the importance of the COP31 meeting held in Antalya, Şen said that heads of state, prime ministers, ministers, and experts from approximately 200 countries came together within the scope of climate diplomacy. He also stated that the NATO Summit previously held in Ankara received great appreciation for its organizational quality.
"WE ENDED THE 50-YEAR TERROR DISASTER"
Making assessments on the fight against terrorism, Şen stated that Türkiye has reached an important stage in ending the nearly 50-year terrorism problem, and said, "We have ended a 50-year terror disaster, a terror issue. If you take the founding year of the terrorist organization as a basis, we are talking about approximately 50 years; as a terror activity, a process of more than 40 years. In this process, we lost more than 50 thousand of our people. I am not counting the economic losses. It is not worth a drop of blood of one of our martyrs. However, to express it in numbers, we are talking about an economic loss of more than 3 trillion dollars, and together with alternative costs, an amount close to 6 trillion."
"TÜRKİYE IS AT AN IMPORTANT POINT IN TECHNOLOGY AND THE DEFENSE INDUSTRY"
Stating that Türkiye has made significant progress in the fields of high technology, space, nuclear energy, and artificial intelligence in recent years, Şen drew attention to developments in the defense industry. Stating that Türkiye has an important share in the world market in unmanned aerial vehicle and armed unmanned aerial vehicle technologies, Şen said that these successes have emerged through the work of young engineers and software developers. Şen said, "We were a country that missed the industrial revolution and is in a late industrialization process. However, we did not miss high technology, space technology, nuclear technology, and artificial intelligence. We caught up with these in the last 20 years. Türkiye has reached a level especially in the defense industry that is more advanced than all European countries. These great leaps are taking place thanks to young minds. We believe that Türkiye will grow exponentially in the period ahead."
"THE INCOMES OF RETIREES AND MINIMUM WAGE EARNERS WILL BE INCREASED"
Touching on economic difficulties as well, Şen said that some retirees are right to find their salaries insufficient, and citizens working for the minimum wage are right to find the wages they receive insufficient. Şen said, "A segment of our retirees finds their salaries insufficient. I agree with them; they are right. Some of our citizens working for the minimum wage also do not find their wages sufficient. I agree with them too. God willing, intensive work is being carried out in Ankara to increase these figures. As a result of the work carried out, the incomes of our retirees will rise to a level with which they will be more satisfied. A wage amount with which our citizens working for the minimum wage will be more satisfied will also emerge."
"WHAT IS NECESSARY IS BEING DONE ABOUT THOSE RESPONSIBLE"
Also making statements regarding the fund crisis that recently came to the agenda, Şen stated that the legal process is being carried out against those who have responsibility. Stating that more than 120 people have been arrested within this scope, Şen said, "We are not like others. We have no understanding of sweeping things under the rug. If there is a wrong, what is necessary is done. No one will be shown leniency. If you committed the crime, you will serve the punishment. Justice does not wait; it does what is necessary."
"TÜRKİYE NEEDS A NEW AND CIVILIAN CONSTITUTION"
Stating that Türkiye needs a new constitution, Şen said that the current constitution bears the traces of the coup period. Emphasizing that the new constitution should be prepared with a civilian, libertarian, and democratic understanding, Şen noted that Speaker of Parliament Numan Kurtulmuş continues his meetings with political parties. Saying that discussions regarding the unchangeable articles of the constitution are a waste of time, Şen stated that the articles in question will be protected and that work is being carried out on other articles.
"WE THINK OUR PRESIDENT WILL BE A CANDIDATE AGAIN"
Also making assessments regarding the upcoming elections, Mustafa Şen said that parliamentary and presidential elections will be held in the spring of 2028, and that local elections will be held the following year. Stating that AK Party organizations began election preparations immediately after the elections, Şen also shared figures regarding the organizational structure. Şen said, "Our provincial and district organizations consist of 93 thousand people. Together with our neighborhood and ballot box organizations, this number reaches 306 thousand people. Together with our members, we are an organization of 12 million. We are preparing for the elections with this strong organizational structure." Regarding the re-candidacy of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Şen stated that within the framework of current constitutional arrangements, they think he can be a candidate again if Parliament decides so, and said, "We think our Parliament will make such a decision and allow our President to be a presidential candidate again. Our research shows that our President can be elected again." Şen stated that work continues in line with the goal of a Türkiye without terrorism and a region without terrorism, and that the process regarding the establishment of monitoring and working commissions within the body of Parliament continues. Stating that work will continue in many areas in Türkiye's cities, from road, hospital, and school investments to space and nuclear technology, Şen thanked members of the press at the end of his speech and concluded the program.
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