Bekir Başevirgen highlights decline in 200 lira purchasing power

Bekir Başevirgen, a Manisa deputy for the YENİ Party, has highlighted the significant decline in the purchasing power of Turkey’s largest banknote, the 200 lira, over the last 17 years.

Comparing data from 2009 to current market prices, Başevirgen noted that the 200 lira banknote, which could purchase approximately 82.6 liters of diesel in 2009, can now only buy about 2.1 liters. This represents a nearly 97.4 percent drop in purchasing power regarding fuel.

The decline is also evident in food staples. In 2009, 200 lira could purchase 12.4 kilograms of beef; currently, it buys approximately 200 grams. Similarly, the amount of chicken meat purchasable with 200 lira has dropped from 45 kilograms to roughly 1.6 kilograms, and the quantity of eggs has fallen from 870 units to just 30.