‘CHP will vote against gov’t’s 2022 budget’

ANKARA

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on Dec. 6 said the government’s 2022 budget submitted to the parliament vote is a “conspiracy budget” and his party will vote against it.

“We will say no to this budget,” he said, addressing the parliament during the budget talks.

Kılıçdaroğlu said the proposed budget does not solve the problems of the citizens. “For example, does it solve the problems of farmers?” he asked.

Criticizing the government’s policy of keeping the interest low, Klıçdaroğlu said, “Which interest? Did you reset the farmers’ interest?” he asked.

This budget exploits the nation, Klıçdaroğlu said. “This is a budget that takes from the poor and gives to the rich. This budget is a budget that impoverishes the Republic of Turkey. This budget is a conspiracy budget made for the Republic of Turkey,” he added.

He also voiced skepticism on the inflation figures announced by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), which last week said Turkey’s inflation rose 21.3 percent on an annual basis.

“TÜİK says 3 percent monthly, 21 percent annually. Experts in this business say 9 percent monthly and 58 percent annually. Which one is correct?” he asked.

“Go to any grocery store. Let the grocery store say, ‘What TÜİK says is true, I swear I will quit politics,” he said.

If the reports of the Court of Accounts, which audits on behalf of the parliament, are being “changed, it means that the executive body has something to fear,” Kılıçdaroğlu stated.

The government does not want the truth to be seen by doing so, he said.
The report of the Court of Accounts is more than 100 pages, he said and claimed that there are many corruption cases, but the report has only 0 pages on the issue.

“If the audited institution does not provide information, documents to the auditing institution, it means that the executive body is not accountable to the parliament. Who intervenes in the Court of Accounts? MPs have unanswered questions,” he said, emphasizing that this attitude tarnishes the dignity of the parliament.