Turkey’s Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek has come under fire for referring to the citizens of Turkey as “locals,” a commonly used term in English whose translation into Turkish has a negative connotation, in his speech during an international forum in Washington.
Şimşek on Wednesday spoke at the Global Outlook Forum, an event organized in Washington by the Institute of International Finance (IIF) in conjunction with the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings, outlining Turkey’s policy priorities and providing insight into the Turkish economy.
“We need to convince the locals that inflation will decrease,” the minister said in his speech in English, referring to the Turkish public as “locals,” which drew criticism from opposition politicians and journalists who found the reference disturbing because its Turkish translation, “yerliler,” is often used to denote the native inhabitants of a region living under colonial rule.
Namık Tan, Turkey’s former ambassador to the United States and current İstanbul lawmaker from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), said that using the term “locals” for his own people in IMF and World Bank circles was “not fitting” for Şimşek.
“It is shameful, arrogant and inappropriate. Is it so difficult to say ‘Turkish people,’ Mr. Şimşek? Since when have you become so disconnected from your people?” Tan added.
IMF-Dünya Bankası çevrelerine kendi halkından bahsederken “yereller” nitelemesini kullanmak Türkiye’nin Hazine ve Maliye Bakanına yakışmaz. Ayıptır, kibirdir, yakışıksızdır
“Türk halkı” diyebilmek bu kadar mı zor, Sayın @memetsimsek ?Halkınızdan ne vakit bu kadar koptunuz? https://t.co/1WSMiH3Yox
— Namık Tan (@NamikTan) April 19, 2024
“Shame on you, Mehmet. Not content with ruining the economy, now you’re also insulting the Turkish nation,” Democrat Party (DP) Vice Chair Cemal Enginyurt said in a series of tweets, addressing the minister. He also referred to Şimşek as “British Mehmet,” in a reference to his dual British-Turkish citizenship.
Journalist Deniz Zeyrek shared a photo showing the coverage of Şimşek’s speech at the event by Turkey’s pro-government English-language Daily Sabah, where the word “locals” was replaced by the word “public,” saying that the daily attempted to correct the minister’s choice of words.
Mehmet şimşek açıkça “locals” dediği halde Daily Sabah haberinde “locals” yerine “public” yazılmış.
Bakana “diliniz sürçmüş herhalde, aslında ‘public’ demek istediniz” demişler galiba… pic.twitter.com/PbNkcU0EBJ
— deniz zeyrek (@Deniz_Zeyrek) April 19, 2024
UNS News Media General Coordinator Osman Ünsal also condemned the minister for addressing Turkish citizens as locals, “in a manner reminiscent of a colonial governor.”
Dünya kamuoyunun gözü önünde, kendi halkına SÖMÜRGE VALİSİ edasıyla "yerel halk" diye hitap eden Mehmet Şimşek'i kınıyorum.
Türk halkı ne zaman yerel halk oldu? pic.twitter.com/ZxDA4n7iWL
— Osman Ünsal (@Osmanunsal58) April 18, 2024
“And how will we convince you that there is no such thing as ‘local residents’ and that the people you are referring to are the Turkish people?” journalist İsmail Dükel asked in a tweet directed at the minister, pointing to his statements regarding persuading the public that inflation will decrease.
Bakan Mehmet Şimşek, "Yerel halkı enflasyonun düşeceğine ikna etmemiz gerekiyor." Demiş.
Peki biz sizi nasıl ikna edeceğiz; yerel halk diye bir şey olmadığına ve kastettiğiniz halkın Türk Halkı olduğuna?..
— İsmail Dükel (@ismaildukel) April 19, 2024
Turkey’s annual inflation rate, which peaked at 85 percent in October 2022, climbed back up to 68.5 percent last month, according to official data.