Özersay to Government and Main Opposition: Don’t Lie to People

Özersay appeared on Gökhan Altıner’s Sabah Postası program on Kıbrıs Postası TV, where he said he believed his party would receive significant support during a period of political realignment.

He said parties with financial resources had filled the streets with billboards even before the election campaign had officially begun.

“Our funding was cut. We won the interim injunction, and then, when the substance of the case was heard, we won the case concerning the monthly contribution, while the court changed its position regarding the annual contribution. Our annual funding was cut. Despite all the financial difficulties and the closure of our social media accounts, if we can gain this momentum, it means there is serious potential. We believe we will achieve a successful result after the election,” Özersay said.

“THE COUNTRY IS IN A GRAVE SITUATION IN TERMS OF BUDGETING, PLANNING AND FORESIGHT”

Özersay said the country was in a serious situation in terms of budgeting, planning and foresight, noting that borrowing had reached significant levels and debt was growing rapidly.

He said the incoming government would not have a budget and that these figures would have to be shared transparently with the public.

“This is not our destiny,” Özersay said, calling for spending cuts and greater discipline in public expenditure, as well as tax reforms aimed at increasing state revenues.

Özersay said the country had sufficient resources, but was importing inflation as a result of using the Turkish lira.

He noted that public budgets were expanding around the world and stressed that sound management was therefore vital.

Özersay also criticized what he described as irresponsible steps, saying people were being employed without examinations or open recruitment procedures and that equal opportunity was being undermined.

“POPULISM IS VERY DANGEROUS”

Commenting on the planned TL40,000 bonus for pensioners, Özersay asked whether the payment would genuinely make people’s lives easier or instead create another problem for the pension system.

“Will you really make these people’s lives easier? Or are you creating another hole in the system that will bring it to the point where it cannot pay pensions again in a few years?” he asked.

Özersay said the main opposition had also entered a competition with the government to make populist statements about the retirement age, arguing that retirement ages around the world should be examined.

Recalling the situation of people who retire early in Turkey, Özersay said some pensioners were unable to do much with the pensions they received, stressing that being able to sustain oneself without working after retirement was an important consideration.

“Populism is very dangerous,” Özersay said, accusing the main opposition of competing with the government on the issue.

“DON’T LIE TO PEOPLE”

Özersay warned politicians: “Don’t say what you cannot do.”

He said the issue was not limited to the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), adding that he saw a lack of sincerity both within the government and the main opposition.

Özersay said the sincerity of political parties had been tested over the mixed voting system.

He said he was not seeking to accuse other parties, but argued that promising measures that could not be implemented or steps that could undermine the state merely to secure more votes eight weeks before an election showed that the only objective was to come to power.

“Don’t lie to people,” Özersay said, adding that the issue of early retirement had the potential to seriously disrupt people’s lives.