Minister Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk Issues Statement on EYT
A new statement has been made by Minister of Family, Labor and Social Services Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk regarding citizens affected by the retirement age rule, commonly known as EYT (those who cannot retire because of age requirements). This long-standing and widely followed issue has once again drawn attention after Minister Selçuk addressed the topic and clarified the ministry’s position.
In Turkey, matters related to people who are waiting to retire due to age restrictions are closely monitored by the public. Today’s remarks from Minister Selçuk have become a focal point of discussion, prompting further public interest and inquiries about EYT.
What Did Minister Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk Say About EYT?
When asked about EYT, Minister Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk said the ministry prefers to refer to the group as “those who do not meet the retirement age.” She emphasized that retirement depends on three main criteria: length of insurance coverage, payment of required premiums, and the age threshold. According to the minister, if any one of these three conditions is not met, the retirement process cannot be completed. All three criteria must be satisfied simultaneously for a person to qualify for retirement.
Minister Selçuk also noted that there are cost calculations and principled objections to consider. She explained that, technically, the retirement benefit is called an “old-age pension,” which is paid when a person reaches old age. From that perspective, she pointed out that the average age of those awaiting EYT benefits is around 48, and argued that 48 is not considered old age anywhere in the world. She compared this with the average age of individuals who retired last year, which she said was between 52 and 53. Minister Selçuk added that, for these groups to reach the conventional retirement age of 65, it would not occur until around the year 2048.
What Is EYT?
EYT refers to a group of people affected by a legal change to retirement eligibility that took place after 1998. Originally, people who began working with social security (SGK) coverage in 1998 had the right to retire under existing rules, and some were expected to gain full retirement rights by 2023. However, a subsequent legal amendment delayed the retirement eligibility of many of these workers, effectively postponing their retirement rights until 2038. Those impacted by this postponement are described as “Emeklilikte Yaşa Takılanlar” (EYT). The change affected thousands of employees who then fell under the scope of the EYT classification.
The ministry continues to monitor the financial and technical aspects of the issue while engaging in public discussion about how best to address the concerns of those affected. Minister Selçuk’s comments underscore the complexity of balancing eligibility criteria, actuarial costs, and public expectations when considering any adjustments to retirement rules.