YRP President Erbakan: ‘The timing of the pardon for the February 28 actors seems significant to us’

The leader of the Welfare Party, Fatih Erbakan, who came to Mardin, said, ‘The timing of the amnesty for the February 28 actors seems meaningful to us.’ Making a speech at a hotel in Mardin to carry out a series of visits, the General Chairman of the Welfare Party, Fatih Erbakan, stated that they would pay thank you visits to the districts of Artuklu, Ömerli, Yeşilli, and Midyat. Emphasizing that they reached a 17% vote rate in the district of Yeşilli, Erbakan expressed that they reached a 31% vote rate in the Ömerli district and a 16% vote rate in the Midyat district. He said that with the results nationwide, in the March 31 elections, the people clearly showed their support for the Welfare Party and the National View. Erbakan, stating that the most important factor in achieving these results is the blessing of the National View and the services provided to our country and nation by the late Erbakan for years, said, ‘In addition to the results at the provincial and district levels, a vote rate of 7% was achieved in the general results of municipal council membership in Turkey, compared to 2.9% in the previous election. Within a short period of less than a year, our votes increased from 2.9% to 7%. In addition, votes above 20% were obtained in 132 districts. In 210 districts, votes above 10% were obtained. 3 million votes, a vote rate of 7%, and 63 municipalities, including Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality and Yozgat provincial municipality. Our people showed tremendous support.’ Erbakan, stating that they aim to bring the Welfare Party to power in 2028, said, ‘One of the most important problems in Turkey is the economic crisis on the agenda of our people. When we look at the minimum wage here, we see that the poverty line for a family of four has reached 20 thousand liras today. This means that millions of minimum wage earners live below the poverty line. On the other hand, when we look at the pension amount, we see that it is 10 thousand liras. Millions of retirees struggle with a salary half of the poverty line. The poverty line for a family of four has now reached 60 thousand liras. Families with less than 60 thousand liras a month are poor in the conditions of Turkey today. They do not fully meet their basic needs. According to this calculation, 45% of the people in Turkey are below the poverty line, and 80% are below the poverty line. We are ranked fourth in inflation worldwide. We are only behind Argentina, Lebanon, and Syria. Syria has been a country at war for over 10 years. Argentina has always been the world champion in this regard. We have an inflation rate that surpasses even Venezuela. According to TURKSTAT data, it is 68%.’ Mentioning that 1.25 trillion liras were paid in interest from the 2024 budget, Erbakan said, ’40 billion dollars is only the amount the state will pay in interest. The resource sent to the deposit with protection of exchange rates in 2023 was 1.4 million liras. In the 2024 budget, 540 billion TL will be paid to certain holdings for projects in cooperation with the public. There are always serious allegations regarding this. We always say that it needs to be investigated. They said that if we increase the salary of so many retirees from 10 thousand liras to 17 thousand liras, it would cost 1.4 trillion. 1.4 trillion is given to the deposit with protection of exchange rates and will be given to our retirees. We pay 1.25 trillion in interest. With this interest payment and deposit with protection of exchange rates, we can reach a salary of 17 thousand liras.’ Referring to the amnesty for February 28 convicts, Erbakan said, ‘The timing of the amnesty for the actors of February 28 seems meaningful to us. Why was it done at such a time, why now? Of course, we leave the judgment to our people. It is a process like a legal decision regarding the DEM Party. A decision was made, we need to look at its reasons and factors, and it would be more appropriate to make a comment accordingly, I think.’