I have struggled to understand the rumors that Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek has resigned from the beginning.
Some insistently claim that he has resigned; official statements from the state and government deny the rumors, but those making the claims persist.
Finally, the minister himself made a statement, saying, “It seems that official statements were not enough, so let me write it here as well! / I have not resigned. The scenarios being circulated are not true.”
Those claiming the minister had resigned argued that Şimşek had clashed with the authority that appointed him over a tax amnesty for the wealthy during the preparation of the tax package.
In Şimşek’s statement, there is a part that refutes this claim.
Let’s read:
“During this challenging process, we always feel the strong support of our President. – Our sole objective, under the leadership of our President, is to permanently increase the prosperity of our noble nation.”
Personally, from the moment the rumors started circulating, I was convinced they were baseless. No, I did not arrive at this conclusion by looking at those spreading the rumors. My reasoning is different.
Firstly, with the ‘presidential government system,’ the formation of the government and the relationship between the ministers and the authority that appoints them have changed.
It’s a one-sided relationship.
Now, it’s no longer possible to leave the government by resigning. Can a minister leave? Of course, they can. But neither before nor after can the phrase “He/she resigned” be used. In the new system, either the minister himself makes a statement saying, “I requested to be relieved from my duties,” or a statement is made afterward that they requested to be relieved from their duties.
This is why, when I first heard the rumors of his resignation, I thought it couldn’t be true.
Is Mehmet Şimşek successful?
I find this question meaningless because it contradicts today’s realities. Today, political and bureaucratic cadres within the sphere of power—ministers, party officials, and top bureaucrats—don’t have to be successful; they just need to be able to present themselves as successful.
Viewed through the lens of today’s reality, as he frequently and persistently emphasizes in his verbal and written statements, Mehmet Şimşek appears successful.
It’s almost impossible for him to appear unsuccessful, given the time frame allocated to his role. What’s expected of him is to reduce the cost of living to an unnoticeable level by the time of the next general election…
And the next general election is four years away…
Who can know today what will happen over the next four years and whether the expectations will be met when the time comes?
[There’s a story involving a sultan, a man pretending to be a scholar, and his claim that he could teach a donkey to speak, which would better convey what I’m trying to say, but considering today’s realities, I decided not to tell it as its moral could be interpreted in many different ways, so I hope you’ll excuse me.]
Inflation—especially when it’s sky-high—doesn’t just upset economic balances in the country; it also distorts people’s behavior and drives them to act irrationally.
The high cost of living becomes a habit.
Even though it pains you when the price of something you bought yesterday skyrockets, you may feel ready to accept it.
Even a vendor known for their good morals might suddenly raise prices and feel at ease doing so, thinking it’s not at odds with their good morals.
None of the inflation figures from TÜİK, ENAG, or the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) fully reflect the real cost of living. What can the opposition do in the face of much higher rates reported by ITO and ENAG compared to TÜİK’s? Life goes on according to the rates announced by TÜİK.
“Aren’t the salaries of employees and retirees, as well as the minimum wage, always calculated based on TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute) data?
When Mehmet Şimşek’s term is up, that is, shortly before the election, if TÜİK announces a single-digit inflation rate while others report triple-digit figures, which one will be considered valid in terms of success?
There’s no need to elaborate further: The realities of today prevent ministers from resigning, and since Mehmet Şimşek’s success as the Minister of Treasury and Finance will be determined by the TÜİK rate at the end of his term, I don’t think he will resign, regardless of what happens in between.
When the time comes, of course, he may also request to be relieved of his duties.”
ΩΩΩΩ
[The translation of the article is by ChatGPT with some minor modifications.]
