Turkish MP Mehmet Karaman Calls for Permanent Measures to Support Small Businesses

Saadet Party MP Mehmet Karaman addressed the Turkish Grand National Assembly, urging permanent measures to aid small‑business owners after a recent survey of traders in Samsun revealed severe strain. He reported that an average of 354 enterprises close each day and that about 53,000 shops shut down in the first five months of the year, citing high inflation, rising costs for rent, utilities, fuel and logistics, and limited access to financing.

Karaman proposed several actions: restructuring tax and social‑security (SGK) debts for traders, expanding credit sources, reducing bank and POS commission fees, and creating a fair legal framework to protect small retailers against competition from large chain stores. He emphasized that the survival of these businesses is vital for employment, local economies and community life.