10.11.2026 10:40
While millions of retirees have their eyes on the salary increase to be made in January 2027, a striking prediction came from SGK Expert Murat Bal. Speaking to Haberler.com, Bal said that if additional resources are not allocated, the lowest pension could be around 30 thousand lira. Bal said, "My prediction is also that it will be around 30 thousand lira."
While the raise to be made to retirement pensions in January 2027 is eagerly awaited, SGK Expert Murat Bal answered Melisa Yaşar's questions on Haberler.com. Sharing his estimate regarding the lowest retirement pension, Bal stated that the government is working on different raise scenarios and that no finalized figure exists yet.
"MY ESTIMATE TOO WILL BE AT THE 30 THOUSAND LIRA LEVEL"
Answering the question of whether the lowest retirement pension will rise above 30 thousand lira, Bal drew attention to current budget possibilities.
Bal said, "My wish is in this direction, it should be at least 40 thousand lira. But with the current budget, if no additional resource is allocated to the SGK budget, my estimate too will be at the level of 30 thousand lira."
Emphasizing the importance of reflecting the approximately 750 billion lira increase in the SGK budget onto retirement pensions, Bal stated that in his calculation based on this amount, the possibility of an additional increase of approximately 4 thousand lira per person emerged.
A STRIKING COMMENT ON A 15 THOUSAND LIRA FLAT RAISE
Also evaluating expectations that retirees could receive a flat raise of between 10 thousand and 15 thousand lira, Bal said he did not find a 15 thousand lira increase realistic under current budget conditions.
Bal said, "I also see a 15 thousand lira flat raise as a dream at the moment."
Noting that the annual cost of such an increase could reach approximately 2 trillion lira, Bal emphasized that an additional resource must be created for a high-amount flat raise.
BOTH A FLAT RAISE AND A WELFARE SHARE FOR RETIREES?
Making assessments regarding raise formulas that could be applied in January, Bal argued that a flat increase and a percentage raise could be applied together.
Stating that after a flat raise of equal amount is given to all retirees, a percentage increase could be made to pensions, Bal said different scenarios are being evaluated on this matter.
Bal said, "Both appear likely to be distributed at a certain rate within the framework of budget possibilities."
RETIREES WHO PAY HIGH PREMIUMS MAY RECEIVE A LARGER RAISE
Also touching on the unfairness among retirement pensions, Bal criticized that a retiree who paid premiums for 3,600 days and a retiree who paid premiums for 9,000 days can receive the same base pension.
Stating that different pension increases could come onto the agenda according to the number of premium payment days, Bal said, "It appears that the retirement pensions of our citizens with a high number of premium days will increase a little more if this study is put into effect."
"THE LOWEST RETIREMENT PENSION SHOULD BE 40 THOUSAND LIRA"
Arguing that the lowest retirement pension should be above the hunger threshold, Bal said retirees' current purchasing power remains insufficient.
Expressing that the lowest pension should be raised to at least the level of 40 thousand lira, Bal emphasized that this was his own wish, while his estimate based on budget possibilities was at the level of 30 thousand lira.