Turkish PM slams main opposition’s election vows

Turkish PM slams main opposition’s election vows

AFYONKARAHİSAR
Turkish PM slams main opposition’s election vows

AA Photo

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has slammed the main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) election promise to boost pensioners’ wages, accusing his rival of lying about the current situation. 

“This man [CHP head Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu] is a liar. He is not feeling ashamed. I have told him that he lies,” Davutoğlu said during a rally in the eastern province of Afyonkarahisar, ruling out the CHP leader’s claim that that some 8 million people are paid less than 1,000 Turkish Liras a month. 

Davutoğlu called on the main opposition leader to provide documents proving his allegations. 

The prime minister repeated his vow to resign in Kılıçdaroğlu proved he is right, blaming the opposition leader for poor calculation. 

Pensioners’ wages increased four-fold during the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) 13-year rule, Davutoğlu said. 

The CHP has vowed to give pensioners two additional monthly salaries a year, with the government questioning the funding of such an additional payment. The issue has become one of the core focuses of election debates. 

Davutoğlu also rejected that some 17 million people in the country were living on less than 200 liras per month, another claim by Kılıçdaroğlu. 

“Turkey is named as the country that improved the income distribution balance the best,” the prime minister said. 

“The national income per capita in Turkey is $10,400. You have to learn this, Kılıçdaroğlu,” he said.