Berova: "We Must Address the Issues in the Speaker Election After Budget Talks"

Speaking on Kıbrıs Postası TV’s Sabah Postası program hosted by Gökhan Altıner, Berova commented on the election process, noting that it dominated the agenda excessively, stating, “We are neglecting the real issues that should be discussed in this country. Everything has become entangled.”

Berova reminded that Parliament has three primary responsibilities—legislation, oversight, and budgeting—and highlighted that the budget must be submitted to Parliament by October 31. He confirmed that budget preparations are ongoing.

"The Speaker Election Is Being Turned Into a Government Confidence Issue"

Discussing the election process for the Parliament Speaker, Berova explained, “The Speaker position is given to the party with the most MPs, while the Deputy Speaker goes to the opposition. The election is conducted by secret ballot, and the government cannot seek a vote of confidence. However, attempts are being made to turn the Speaker election into a confidence issue for the government. This is a misguided approach.”

"It’s Useless to Keep Debating the Speaker Election Outcome"

Berova also criticized the connection being drawn between the Speaker election and the Election and Referendum Law, describing it as “like mixing apples and oranges.” He reiterated that Ziya Öztürkler was elected Speaker and further discussions would not help solve the country's issues, stating, “The decision has been made, and continuing to debate it is pointless.”

"We Must Address the Speaker Election Issues After the Budget Talks"

Berova stressed the importance of addressing the issues experienced during the Speaker election after the budget talks, emphasizing the need for the government and the party to take steps to prevent such problems in the future.

New Measures to Be Implemented in January

Berova announced that starting in January, two key measures would be implemented: rent payments must be made through banks, and businesses with more than three employees must pay salaries through bank transfers. He explained that these measures align with Turkey’s strategy to reduce cash circulation.

"We Are Taking Steps Toward Implementing E-Government, but Progress Has Been Slow"

Berova acknowledged that while significant progress has been made in e-government applications in Turkey, the steps taken in the country have not been as fast as expected. He noted that there had been some acceleration under Prime Minister Ünal Üstel and emphasized that transitioning to a registered economy would bring about tax fairness and overall development.

2023 Budget: "We Faced Unforeseen Expenses"

Commenting on the 2023 budget, Berova stated that they anticipated a deficit of 6.78 billion TL between revenue and expenditure. He mentioned that measures were planned to close this gap but noted unforeseen expenses during the year. These included a 400 million TL payment to Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) to ensure its sustainability and an additional 700-800 million TL in spending due to drought, which further strained the budget.

"We Must Significantly Increase Our Revenues by 2025"

Berova highlighted that despite coordination with relevant ministries, the government faced high inflation transitioning from 2023 to 2024. He emphasized that strategic decisions were made to support the middle and lower classes, including wage adjustments in both the private and public sectors three times in 2024. Although this will put pressure on public finances, Berova warned that not taking these steps would lead to more significant problems.

Finally, Berova underscored the need to develop a frugal strategy for 2025 and emphasized the importance of increasing revenues significantly by that year while continuing to ensure tax justice and fight against the informal economy.