The local elections are over. Not as the Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan intended, but as opposition CHP leader Özgür Özel wanted. Yet Erdoğan still has an economic crisis ahead of him. The way out of this crisis is the Medium Term Program (MTP) he entrusted to the Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek. The
The World Bank has been on the agenda in Türkiye for two reasons nowadays. First, because it decided to provide Türkiye with US$ 18 billion in project financing for the period 2024-2028, and second, because of the news that half of this financing will be made available on the condition that Syrian refugees and LGBTQ+
This article is one of the most challenging ones that I have written for a newspaper or any other media outlet. I will explain the reason at the end, but first, let me begin with the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT) Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC) latest decision. The MPC, raised the one-week
Dilan Polat, who gained fame and made much money in a short time as a “social media influencer” (with 6,8 million Instagram followers) was detained in the early morning of November 1, 2023 in İstanbul. Along with Dilan Polat, her husband Engin Polat, her sister Sıla Doğu, her brother-in-law Kürşat Polat, and Ahmet Gün, all
Türkiye may print 500 and 1000 Turkish Lira banknotes amid increasing inflation and currency crisis. This time last year, former Minister of Treasury and Finance, Nurettin Nebati was saying “there is no need for such measure,” when asked if there will be any banknotes with larger denomination. His ministry was obeying the instructions of President
On August 3, Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) announced a consumer price index increase of 9.5 percent for July, which is a one-month increase. Unfortunately, the annual consumer inflation is 47.8 percent. Moreover, regarding what has been happening in Türkiye since 2021, there is nothing strange about the 9.5 percent monthly uprise in the consumer price
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has signed a series of presidential decrees that raise the value-added tax (VAT) rate from 18 percent to 20 percent and increase public fees by 50 percent. The decrees, which took effect immediately on July 7 also raise the revenues from betting to 10-15 percent and the Banking and Insurance
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that the appointment of Mehmet Şimşek as Treasury Minister should not be contemplated as a change in his cabinet’s economic policies as the former minister’s re-appointment to the post raised the expectations of a shift in low interest rate policy of Erdoğan. However he added that they “accept the
With her exceptional education, extensive experience, and youthful dynamism, Hafize Gaye Erkan sparked enthusiasm at home as well as abroad by assuming crucial position in economic management as the new governor of the Central Bank (CBRT). However, she has come to this position at a crucial time when the Turkish economy is so fragile with
With the noticeable move to loosen government controls on foreign currency, combined with some uncertainty, the Turkish lira tumbled to record lows against the dollar, and one dollar skyrocketed to 23.22 on the evening of June 7. However, the rate had been just under 20 liras on the last working day before the election, while