Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Deputy Co-Chairman Rıdvan Turan expressed his party’s concerns about the state of the Turkish economy and addressed the recent surge in exchange rates in a press conference held at the party headquarters in Ankara on Wednesday.
Turan, who is also the head of the party’s economy and agriculture commission, emphasised the importance of implementing comprehensive measures to stabilise the economy. He highlighted the need to move away from allocating resources to war efforts and instead prioritise the promotion of democratic values.
He dismissed the notion that the economy could be saved by “Superman,” referring to the inflated expectations surrounding the appointment of Mehmet Şimşek as finance minister in the new cabinet.
Pointing to the recent increase in exchange rates, Turan highlighted how the government’s attempts to suppress the rate by depleting foreign exchange reserves had proven ineffective. He argued that the rise in the exchange rate, which surpassed 5 percent in just a few days, exposed the consequences of the government’s previous policies and confirmed the HDP’s pre-election warnings about the worsening economy and growing income inequality in the event of Erdoğan’s re-election.
He also emphasised the need for tangible solutions to address food inflation, stating that the damage inflicted on agriculture over years of Erdoğan’s rule had brought the sector to the brink of collapse.
Citing the examples of Italy and Germany, Turan warned that the ongoing economic crisis could deepen existing authoritarian tendencies within the country.
The HDP MP proposed a departure from policies involving significant subsidies and wealth transfers to big capital. Instead, he urged the implementation of measures to combat inflation and improve the income situation of the impoverished and workers.
