Turkish officials to discuss rise in retirement pensions, Haberturk says

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's vice president and its finance minister plan to discuss a possible increase in the minimum monthly pension payment with officials from the ruling AK Party (AKP), broadcaster Haberturk said on Wednesday.

The minimum monthly pension payment for each person is 10,000 lira ($304) for 2024, but the Turkish opposition has been calling on the government to increase it, saying that people are struggling with soaring inflation.

The government earlier said there were no plans to increase the minimum wage or minimum pension payments despite calls from the opposition, but Turkish media recently reported that an internal debate on the matter had started.

AKP spokesperson Omer Celik said on Monday the party was studying the matter, but that there had been no final decision.

"We will continue to support all segments of society, with the main aim being to protect the medium-term economic programme," Celik told reporters.

Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek will meet AKP group chair Abdullah Guler and AKP deputy group chair Mustafa Elitas to discuss the matter, Haberturk and other Turkish said, without giving a specific date.

($1 = 32.9120 liras)

(Reporting by Huseyin Hayatsever; Editing by Jan Harvey)