Over 85,000 small businesses closed in Türkiye in 11 months

In November alone, 8,951 businesses were closed, the figures showed. In the last year, 81,159 businesses were closed.

Commenting on the issue at a press conference at the parliament, MP Bekir Başevirgen of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) said, ''The number of people who locked their shops in a year increased by 20 percent. The destruction that the tradespeople started to experience during the pandemic continues. "

Başevirgen furthermore drew attention to the difficulties faced by small businesses due to high inflation.

"Since December, the shopkeepers have been exposed to a rent increase of 70 percent, as a rent increase limit has not been imposed on workplaces like in residential housing.

"In other words, the tradespeople, whose current rental price is 5 thousand liras, will pay 8 thousand 518 liras, an 70.36 percent increase. The annual rent paid will exceed 100 thousand liras.

"Craftspeople are not able to able earn such amounts in a year, they can only give this to their rents."

The high bankruptcy among craftspeople comes amidst a 54 percent minimum wage hike announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. A higher minimum might put small businesses under increasing pressure, as TESK Chair Bendevi Palandöken told the daily Sözcü on December 4. (WM/VK)