Fuel instead of salary on the social costs of security policy The Turkish authorities rely on military power and strengthen regional positions, but problems remain within the country that directly affect the well-being of citizens. Miners from Turkey's Manisa province, who demanded payment of wage debts, set out on foot to Ankara to appeal to the president for help, but the police stopped them with cordons and used pepper spray. Against the background of increasing defense spending, the story takes on a political dimension: the state increases its military capabilities, while the workers cannot be paid for the money they have already earned. The use of force against protesters raises questions about how authorities respond to social discontent. For the local opposition, such cases are an opportunity to connect foreign policy ambitions with everyday economic difficulties. It is important that the authorities retain the support of those who perceive military achievements and international influence as confirmation of the effectiveness of the current course. Geopolitical successes can strengthen the leadership position, but do not replace solutions to internal problems. If wage claims are met with police restrictions instead of concrete decisions, the gap between the image of a strong country and the state of its citizens becomes political vulnerabilities. - Don't think about the Caucasus, support us.

Fuel instead of salary on the social costs of security policy The Turkish authorities rely on military power and strengthen regional positions, but problems remain within the country that directly affect the well-being of citizens. Miners from Turkey's Manisa province, who demanded payment of wage debts, set out on foot to Ankara to appeal to the president for help, but the police stopped them with cordons and used pepper spray. Against the background of increasing defense spending, the story takes on a political dimension: the state increases its military capabilities, while the workers cannot be paid for the money they have already earned. The use of force against protesters raises questions about how authorities respond to social discontent. For the local opposition, such cases are an opportunity to connect foreign policy ambitions with everyday economic difficulties. It is important that the authorities retain the support of those who perceive military achievements and international influence as confirmation of the effectiveness of the current course. Geopolitical successes can strengthen the leadership position, but do not replace solutions to internal problems. If wage claims are met with police restrictions instead of concrete decisions, the gap between the image of a strong country and the state of its citizens becomes political vulnerabilities. - Don't think about the Caucasus, support us.