HDP Unveils Alternative Economic Measures Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Diyarbakır MP and Vice Co-Chair for Economic Affairs Garo Paylan has unveiled an "Economic Security Package Against Coronavirus" as an alternative to the one announced by President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who calls the package as "Economic Stability Shield."

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Making a statement at the Parliament yesterday (March 24), Paylan has noted that the economy package of the government does not protect people with poor income, the unemployed, the poor or laborers.

Reminding the reporters that democratic developed countries of the world safeguard the rights of everyone, Paylan has briefly stated the following:

"These countries tell their citizens, 'Your job is safe, you stay home; your wage is safe, you take paid leave.' Thinking that their citizens' income will get meager while staying home, these countries say, 'I postpone or write off your natural gas, electricity and water bills.' They halt the payment of bank credits.

"The government has been urging the citizens to stay home for weeks, but it does not say what they will eat and drink, who will pay their bills while staying home. What will our citizens eat? Stones or what?

'99 billion of 100-billion package goes to the rich'

"The government unveiled a package last week. This shield, this umbrella... Who does it protect? It protects the 1 percent. They say 'We announced a 100-billion package.' The 99 billion of this 100-billion package goes to the rich, this 1 percent. Unfortunately, our poor citizens get nothing but eau de cologne from this package. Our all citizens are deeply worried about the economy, they are concerned about their jobs, their daily bread and they are offered nothing, but eau de cologne.

"The US has unveiled a 2-trillion-dollar package. Germany has unveiled a 800-billion-euro package. Our package is worth 100 billion TRY. There is not a package that protects our citizens.

'Crisis deepens with each passing day'

"With the coronavirus outbreak, the economic crisis is deepening with each passing day. It is clear that the package announced by AKP Chair Erdoğan against the destruction caused by the outbreak does not guarantee wide segments of the society. Calling on people to 'stay home', the state does not guarantee the basic needs of its citizens."

Within this context, HDP Vice Co-Chair for Economic Affairs Paylan has shared the following 12 economic measures under the name of "Economic Security Package Against Coronavirus Outbreak":

• Payments of rents must be halted throughout the outbreak.
• The credit payments to banks must be halted throughout the outbreak.
• Electricity, water, natural gas, telephone and Internet must be free of charge to the level of necessity
• Dismissal must be banned. All supports to the small- and medium-sized enterprises must be provided on this condition.
• If a business suspends its operations, workers must be given paid leaves and all taxes levied upon workers as well as their Social Security Institution (SGK) premiums must be met from the state budget.
• The wages of those granted paid leave must be met by the employer by half and must be met from the state budget by half on the condition that it does not exceed 3,000 TRY.
• All unemployed people must be granted income support from the Unemployment Insurance Fund without any conditions.
• The losses incurred by shopkeepers because their activities are suspended must be compensated. The payments of rent and tax must be halted throughout the outbreak.
• Farmers' support must be paid immediately. The debt payments of farmers must be halted throughout the outbreak.
• The debts of students to Credit and Dormitories Institution (KYK) must be written off.
• The minimum pension must be 2,400 TRY.
• The women with low income who who do home-based daily work and have to care for their children must be provided with direct income support.

(HA/SD)