Malatya merchants demand clear timetable for allocation of foundation-owned shops

After the 6 February earthquakes, dozens of merchants in Malatya who were tenants of properties owned by Turkey's General Directorate of Foundations faced an uncertain post‑quake allocation process. The merchants, represented by MESOB president Şevket Keskin, met with regional foundations deputy director Mehmet Günay and demanded a written schedule, priority for former tenants, and transparent criteria on which shops will be reassigned, when, and by what method.

Keskin emphasized that “Esnafımız kesin bir açıklama bekliyor” (our tradespeople need a definite answer) and urged both local officials and central authorities – including MPs, the mayor and Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy – to intervene. The meeting highlighted the merchants’ call for concrete, documented information on the location, allocation method, and timing of the foundation‑owned shops, stressing that many of the 150 affected units remain in limbo.