Treasury and Finance Minister Şimşek emphasized that there was a real increase in civil servants and retirees.

Recently, during the protest in front of the Constitutional Court, a retired police officer committed suicide, stating that he "couldn't get along". Millions of retirees receive monthly salaries below the hunger line. The minimum wage is also below the hunger line. Civil servant salary increases remain low compared to inflation. On the other hand, the government does not make new regulations on salaries, wages and salaries other than the increases foreseen in the legislation and the contract. The government responds to criticism from the opposition by making a comparison with 2002.

Since AKP came to power in 2002, the increases in salaries, salaries and wages have been proportional. Opposition MPs in the Parliament draw attention to the effects of the disinflation process on employees and retirees and point out the need for increases in wages, salaries and pensions. Similar answers always come from the government.

Responding to the parliamentary question of DEM Party Diyarbakır Deputy Serhat Eren, Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek made the following assessment regarding civil servants and retirees:

"As it is known, the salaries of public servants and retired civil servants are increased at the rate determined by the collective agreement in accordance with Article 28 of the Public Servants' Unions and Collective Agreement Law, and the salaries of SSK and Bağ-Kur retirees are increased by the rate of inflation in the previous six-month period, effective from the payment date of January and July of each year, in accordance with Article 55 of the Social Insurance and General Health Insurance Law."

Regarding the minimum wage, which is still below the hunger threshold, Şimşek merely said, "In accordance with Article 39 of the Labor Law, the minimum wage is determined by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security through the Minimum Wage Determination Commission." Şimşek reminded that in 2026, the lowest civil servant salary will be increased by 39.38 percent, the lowest pension will be increased by 39.52 percent, and the minimum wage will be increased by 27.01 percent, effective from the beginning of the year.

BRAGGED WITH PERCENTAGE INCREASES

Şimşek then made a comparison with 2002, when the AKP came to power, and continued as follows:

"With all these increases, from December 2002 to September 2026, the lowest civil servant salary increased by 274 percent in real terms, the lowest pension in real terms by 648 percent, and the minimum wage by 218 percent in real terms."