The effects of high inflation and the cost of living cause retirees to not even be able to make ends meet with their current salaries. While retirees, most of whom receive 10 thousand liras, are unable to even shop with their salaries, many retirees are forced to continue working. While the government said that there would be no increase in salaries, using the economic crisis as an excuse, the last "good news" it announced was that they can have a holiday by staying in the dormitories affiliated with the Credit and Dormitories Institution, free of charge. 

 

Reactions to these statements continue to come from retirees. Stating that they want a humane life, retirees reacted to the situation with statements and rallies in many cities, and held rallies in 9 cities on Sunday with the slogan "No to hunger and misery".

 

'WE DO NOT WANT ALMS'

 

Zafer Yurdakul (66), manager of Izmir Bornova Retirees Union, said that they could not get the reward of their labor and that they would fight for this.   Stating that they want a humane life, “Instead of forgiving the taxes of the moneymakers, the AKP must offer retirees a life where they can live like humans. We have worked hard in this country for 30-40 years, and we want our efforts to be rewarded. We do not ask for alms from anyone" Yurdakul said.

 

'WE ARE EXPERIENCED BY HUNGER'

 

Nermin Kılıç (52), who receives a pension of 10 thousand Liras, said that they did not accept the salary given and asked for their salaries to be increased to a humane level. Kılıç said: “Today, the hunger limit is 17 thousand Liras and we are experiencing the depths of hunger with this salary. Erdoğan said, 'You will be able to have a holiday, retirees.' How should we go on vacation? Should we pay road money or eat meatballs with that money? We do not accept this. If there is a need for savings, the palace door must be locked. They suffer, we suffer. If they had saved it themselves, that money would have been enough for everyone, including workers and retirees."

 

'WE WILL FIGHT'

 

Retiree Esma Bozkurt (65) said that she could not make ends meet with her salary and that she worked daily jobs to make ends meet. Bozkurt stated, "We even go to the market after 18.00 in the evening so that we can buy something cheap. Even though we save on everything, the bills are huge and we cannot pay them." Stating that she is struggling for her children and grandchildren, Bozkurt added, "We will struggle until our salaries reach a good level." 

 

'WE DON'T WANT AKP'

 

Mehmet Çengüş (70), recalling that the government made promises as if they were mocking retirees, said: "The government does not value workers and retirees in the slightest. The government is trying to make us pay for the 22-year economic destruction as if we had done it. We want the AKP government to go away. We want a government to come to the side of employees and laborers. We will continue to be in the areas until the AKP government ends."

 

Pointing out that the government makes people need dry bread, Gürsel Ulula (56) said: “We cannot go to a place and drink tea with the salary they pay. They impose this kind of life on us. Poverty is not our destiny. We need to eat well, but all prices are through the roof. There is no production in the country and they left us with terrible poverty."