HÜDA PAR Deputy Chairman and Head of Economic Affairs, Mehmet Şah Gültekin, has strongly criticized Türkiye’s economic management in the wake of alarming April inflation figures released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT).

He warned that inflation is steadily impoverishing the population and that flawed or misleading inflation calculations are deepening the public’s hardship.

TURKSTAT's data indicated a 3% rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for April, pushing annual inflation to a concerning 37.86%, with food inflation peaking at 36.09%. Gültekin pointed to sharp price hikes in essential goods—driven by rising electricity, natural gas costs, and a weakening exchange rate—as key contributors to the soaring cost of living, particularly affecting low- and fixed-income households.

He emphasized that rising expenses in food, housing, clothing, transportation, and hospitality are placing a growing burden on vulnerable segments of society.

Gültekin also expressed concern about the delayed economic impact of recent agricultural disasters, such as crop-damaging frosts. He warned that the full effects of these disasters have not yet been reflected in consumer prices, raising the likelihood of further food price increases in the coming months.

Criticizing the government’s economic strategy, Gültekin argued that current policies are weakening domestic production and discouraging investment, while failing to control consumption. He said the widening budget deficit and a lack of public trust in economic leadership are major drivers of instability.

He also warned against the government’s overdependence on interest rate adjustments, exchange rate manipulation, and credit expansion. “Overusing these tools doesn’t solve the problem—it creates deeper structural issues and bottlenecks in the economy,” he noted.

Gültekin drew attention to the erosion of public-sector wages by inflation, stating that the 6% raise given to civil servants and pensioners in January has already been offset by 13.2% inflation recorded in the first four months of the year. This, he said, has left civil servants with a 6.94% shortfall in real income.

“Incomplete or inaccurately calculated inflation figures only worsen the suffering of the people,” he said. “Inflation itself is a mechanism of impoverishment. But when you underestimate it, you're denying people the support they need to survive.”

He called for wage policies to be based on the actual cost of living rather than targets set by the Central Bank, and urged a fundamental shift in Türkiye’s economic model.

Gültekin proposed a balanced, production-oriented economic framework grounded in justice and sustainability. “We need a model that prioritizes fairness, supports agriculture and industry, and encourages domestic production. The current system—built on waste, interest, and imports—must be replaced with one focused on equitable income distribution, fiscal discipline, and public trust.”

Concluding his remarks, Gültekin reaffirmed HÜDA PAR’s commitment to fighting for economic justice. “We will continue our efforts with determination to establish a fair economic order, rein in inflation, and protect the purchasing power of our people.” (ILKHA)