CHP leader urges short-term allowance during pandemic

ANKARA

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu criticized the government decision for ending short-time working allowance amid the ongoing pandemic.

“The short-time working allowance lasted 456 days; the unpaid leave pension was 433 days. It shouldn’t end at the end of this month, at least not while the pandemic is ongoing,” Kılıçdaroğlu said while speaking at the CHP’s parliamentary group meeting on June 29.

These payments should continue during the outbreak, he emphasized.

About 2.5 million people benefited from the unpaid leave pension, Kılıçdaroğlu said, noting that they were also paid 268 Turkey Liras.

 He stressed that the government should not end these payments, emphasizing that if these allowances were stopped, unemployment would further increase. 

The CHP leader also mentioned the Egyptian government’s policies on the Muslim Brotherhood and warned Cairo against political executions.

“Everyone knows our stance on the Brotherhood. We never want beliefs to be used in politics. We have always respected the change in Egypt. But political executions are not correct,” he stated.

“I would like to call out to Egypt from here. There have been political executions in Turkey in the past. We sent our sons to death. Now we are all sad. Political executions are not correct. I hope there will be no political executions in Egypt,” Kılıçdaroğlu added.