By Trend

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged late Monday that the Turkish government will decrease the annual inflation rate back to a single-digit level, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.

"We are in sorrow to see our yearly inflation hitting 36%," he said speaking after a weekly Cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara.

"Nevertheless, as a government that managed to decrease inflation to 6%, we will repeat our success to protect Turkish citizens from financial troubles," Erdogan added, underlining that the government is taking necessary measures to fight inflation.

Erdogan vowed to support families, workers, students and retired people with an assistance package that included financial aid for gas bills and wage hikes.

The president emphasized that Turkish civil servants and pensioners will be supported by new economic measures.

"Total salary raise for civil servants will be 30.5% and our retired citizens will see an inflation level-based increase in their pensions," he said.

"Salaries for any pensioners will not be lower than TL 2,500 ($191)."