Unemployed people from Ağrı: We can't earn our living because of AKP

As part of the ‘Meetings on Budget’ the HDP met with unemployed people in Ağrı. People said that they couldn't get along due to the AKP's policies.

The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) met with the unemployed in Ağrı, as part of the "Meetings on Budget". Members of the HDP listened to the difficulties and problems of the unemployed at a meeting hosted in a cafe in the city. A citizen complained about the exorbitant price hikes on food products and said: "Winter is coming, yet a ton of coal has exceeded three thousand Turkish Lira. Each loaf of bread costs 2 Turkish Lira. Our major source of income in Ağrı is animal husbandry, but we can't afford hay and fodder. This is a disgrace. We have to find a solution to this situation because we can't take it any longer."

'We can’t earn our living, AKP ruined us'

Another person who said that they could not get along anymore added that “a feed sack costs 200 TL, a ton of hay costs 500 TL, and a can of oil costs 300 TL. We are not wealthy while the AKP members are getting reacher. To sustain our family, all of my children left here to work in the western regions. We were shattered by AKP. Enough is enough."

Another person said: "The HDP needs to raise its voice more in order to expose the country's concerns. The HDP is a party that believes in the rule of law, justice, and equality. That is why it is critical to openly report what occurred."

'AKP invests in itself'

Many people asked that the unemployment situation be addressed, claiming that young people were forced to leave Ağrı. A citizen said: "The AKP makes investments for itself in Ağrı. They tell us lies, but we don't believe them. We don't trust them. There is no longer any justice, instead, there is pain and starvation."

Necdet Pekyüz, a member of the HDP delegation, argued that Ağrı was purposefully impoverished and added: "People are becoming poorer by the day. In our country, youth unemployment is on the rise, with two out of every three young people are unemployed. The party and the people will work together to change this."