CHP leader not allowed to enter TurkStat building after inflation announcement

Photos: AA

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Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was prevented from entering the building of the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), the country's statistical authority.

After the TurkStat announced inflation figures for November, the accuracy of which were questioned by many, Kılıçdaroğlu said on Twitter that he would visit the institution.

"I requested an appointment from TurkStat. They didn't give one. For your information, I will be there at 11 a.m.," he wrote.

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Ahead of his arrival, riot police were deployed in front of the TurkStat building in Ankara, the capital.

TurkStat officials did not let Kılıçdaroğlu, who was accompanied by CHP deputies Engin Özkoç and Selin Sayek-Böke, enter the building.

"The data is not reliable"

Kılıçdaroğlu then made a statement to reporters in front of TurkStat.

"The TurkStat figures concern our 84 million citizens. Political parties, economic circles and social circles make policies according to these figures.

"We asked for an appointment from the TurkStat Presidency yesterday ... They said an appointment was not given and they would not accept us."

"This picture is a very important one showing where Turkey has come," Kılıçdaroğlu said, noting that the authorities refuse to inform the country's main opposition party about how it obtained information to calculate the inflation rate.

Kılıçdaroğlu said the figures announced by the TurkStat were not reliable, pointing out the difference between the official figures and the inflation rate calculated by the Inflation Research Group (ENAG), a group of independent economists.

The ENAG announced the monthly inflation rate as 9.31 percent and the annual rate as 58.63 percent. (HA/VK)