TurkStat announces inflation at 43%, continues to withhold inflation basket despite court ruling

Photo: Damla Göç / edirneahval.com

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The official Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) and the unofficial Inflation Research Group (ENAG) have released their April inflation data.

TurkStat reported a 2.39% increase in inflation for April compared to March, and a 43.68% increase compared to April 2022. The increase was 15.21% compared to December, while the 12-month average stood at 67.20%.

The communication segment witnessed the highest monthly increase with 5.93%, while the housing sector saw a -1.47% decrease. On an annual basis, the health category experienced the largest surge with a 66.62% hike, while the clothing and footwear sector saw the lowest increase with a 13.82% rise.

ENAG, a group of academics that announces alternative inflation rates in Turkey, has set April's inflation rate at 4.86% and the annual increase at 105.19%.

The inflation rate was recorded as 29.27% in the year's first quarter. ENAG, which takes subgroups as indicators, reported that the housing sector experienced the highest monthly decrease with -0.90%, while the clothing and footwear sector saw the highest increase with a 14.02% rise.

TurkStat does not abide by court's decision

In recent years, there have been suspicions of manipulation by TurkStat regarding the inflation rates they announce, as they are believed to be understating the actual figures.

Between January 2003 and May 2022, TurkStat published a list of average prices for over 400 items on a monthly basis, forming the basis of inflation calculations. However, the census bureau stopped publishing this inflation basket.

On 31 March 2023, The Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK) won a lawsuit at the Ankara 6th Administrative Court against TurkStat for suspending publishing the list, arguing that it was illegal to suspend data that had been previously disclosed for many years.

"With this court decision, TurkStat needs to announce again the inflation basket that it stopped in June 2022. We will apply to TurkStat to abide by the decision, and submit the list for the inflation basket to DİSK, and we will announce it to the public," DİSK Chairperson Arzu Çerkezoğlu stated following the court decision.

As of now, TurkStat has not yet disclosed its inflation basket. (HA/WM/PE)