CHP criticizes economy policies of government

ANKARA

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğu has slammed the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) economic policies on solving Turkey’s unemployment problems by saying that the party is “unable to do so.”

“[AKP] is saying they will quench the troubles of the economy. You are unable to do that. Around 1.5 million people lost their jobs last year, and [the government] is saying [CHP] is harping on unemployment. Are we not going to talk about these?” he added.

Kılıçdaroğlu also recalled past incidents in which four people attempted to set themselves on fire due to unemployment.

“Are we not going to talk about the consequences of the one-man regime? [AKP] cannot solve the unemployment problem. For that, they need knowledge, background, experience and consultation,” he said.

Kılıçdaroğlu also emphasized the impacts of unemployment on society by saying it creates a sense of “hopelessness.”

“Unemployment is trying to build a future in foreign countries. It is the beginning of all misdoing. It is the collapse of all societal values,” he said.

Unemployment also can pave the way for drug use, Kılıçdaroğlu said.

The party leader also underlined that recent unemployment figures are “the worst in the Republic’s history” and said “it is only going to go worse.”

“Hundreds of thousands of people more will be left vacant. Because they took the production away,” he added.

The main cause of unemployment is the “lack of production in Turkey,” according to Kılıçdaroğlu.

“Unemployment erupted because production was snatched from Turkey. They even shut down the tobacco factory in Bitlis. Maybe 50 to 60 workers had jobs there,” he said.

Lack of a development plan is another major problem, the CHP head underlined.

“How can a country without a plan still produce? We are a country with no production plan because of [AKP],” he said.