Turkey's Ümit Özdağ: No minimum wage hike, PKK talks ineffective

Ümit Özdağ, leader of the Zafer Party, held a press conference in Ankara warning that the government will not implement a significant increase in the minimum wage or retirees' pensions in July. He accused the AK Party of prioritising election cycles over citizens’ livelihoods, stating that “the government is only interested in raising wages before elections to fool the people.”

Özdağ also criticised the 20‑month negotiation process with the PKK, calling it unrealistic and noting that the militant group has not laid down its weapons. He said the proposed legislative draft aims to provide an amnesty framework for PKK members, including Abdullah Öcalan, without any genuine disarmament. Additionally, he challenged official refugee‑return figures, claiming that the numbers released by the Migration Directorate are misleading.

His remarks reflect broader opposition concerns about Turkey’s economic policies, the handling of the Kurdish issue, and the government's approach to migration statistics.