'Tomato Expensive Not Because of Truck Drivers, But Because of Your Toll Roads'

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İYİ Party Chair Meral Akşener has commented on the rising fruit and vegetable prices in her party's parliamentary group meeting.

Akşener criticized Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's and Minister of Treasury and Finance Berat Albayrak's statements blaming "intermediaries", "opportunists", "truck drivers."

Akşener said that those who transport the products have to use toll roads and bridges and buy expensive gasoline, although oil prices are dropping in the world.

"Increasing gasoline price is not a solution"

On Minister Albayrak's remark that the fruit and vegetable prices increased because of rising transportation costs, Akşener said, "The solution is not increasing gasoline prices while the oil prices are dropping around the world."

Akşener suggested that the transportation prices are increased not just because of oil prices, but also toll roads and bridges.

"Let's say that they filled their tanks, do you think that they will come to İstanbul at once? There are bridges. There is Osman Gazi Bridge, there are highways with guaranteed payment.

"If you take the bridge, you will travel longer, gasoline cost will increase."

Solution offers

Akşener made these suggestions for a solution:

"Didn't we say 'The farmers are troubled, you should lower the costs'? We said 'The growers are dispersed, establish cooperatives and they will get strong.'

"We said, 'There is a serious loss of product, efficiency is decreasing.

"You do not even implement the law that you passed yourselves. Do not blame anyone, brothers, you are the guilty." (HK/VK)