Turkey passes law to reopen 361 fuel stations amid tax probe

The Turkish parliament approved a supplemental law that allows 361 fuel stations—324 unlicensed and 37 licensed—whose doors were sealed during tax investigations to resume operations. The measure, backed by AKP MPs and cleared by the TBMM Plan and Budget Commission, prevents the stations from being closed while investigations are ongoing, while still prohibiting the transfer of ownership or the issuance of new licences. It also raises the required financial guarantee from twice to up to five times the previous amount to strengthen tax collection and administrative penalty security.

The change reverses a prior Constitutional Court ruling that deemed premature closures illegal, effectively giving the Treasury and the Energy Market Regulation Authority (EMRA) a new tool to protect revenue while keeping the stations functional.