Prof. Dr. Demirtaş, one of most prominent economists in Turkey has estimated that the government will raise the minimum wage by another TL 1,000 in three to four months, but said that this will not be enough to increase the purchasing power.
The minimum wage was increased from 2 thousand 825 lira to 4 thousand 253 lira at the beginning of this year. However, due to the rapidly rising inflation, purchasing power is constantly falling. According to a February study by the United Metal and Business Research Center (BISAM), the monthly nutrition expenditure of a family of four increased from TL 4,131 to 4,330 TL in a month.
The poverty line has increased from TL 14,288 to 14,978 TL
Earlier, President Erdogan had said that there might be an arrangement ‘if necessary’, given the inflation in July. A deputy chairman of the AKP Group, also stated that the minimum wage could be raised twice a year. However, Minister of Labor and Social Security Bilgin, in contrast to these statements, marked the month of December.
Nothing will change for the better
Expectation of Professor Demirtaş, a prominent economist is that there will be an increase in the minimum wage in three to four months. He said, “The government will raise the minimum wage by another 1000 TL for three to four months. But people will be able to buy less fruits, vegetables, meat, milk, etc. with the 5250 TL, than they can get with the current 4250 TL at the end of this summer.”
