Minister of Commerce Ruhsar Pekcan announced that efforts to provide grant support for tradesmen’s rent, electricity and natural gas payments are continuing, and that different supports including global brands are also on the agenda.
Minister of Commerce Ruhsat Pekcan stated that they are carrying out a support study for tradesmen, including global companies, and announced that they will announce this study soon. Minister Pekcan noted that negotiations are continuing to provide grant support in return for tradesmen’s rent, electricity, water and natural gas payments.
During the budget negotiations of the Ministry of Commerce, MPs stated that the problems of tradesmen had deepened with the pandemic and asked for a solution. Minister Pekcan stated that they are aware that the tradesmen are victims and said that they, as the Ministry, have started a new study for the tradesmen and will make an announcement about it soon. Pekcan: “For the best use of public resources
We are evaluating, especially with our President, ‘What can we do about this?’ Apart from public resources, we, as the Ministry, contacted global companies. What kind of support can we give to tradesmen within the scope of their social responsibility projects? “We have a study on this,” he said. Pekcan stated that within the scope of supporting tradesmen, they were able to provide interest-free or low-interest loans to tradesmen through TESKOMB and Halkbank, within the framework of the Ministry’s budget and current legislation, and that grant support was provided in Adıyaman, Elazığ, Malatya, Giresun and İzmir due to natural disasters, and said, “We, as the Ministry, also have work in this direction. . “In the same direction, we are requesting the Ministry of Treasury and Finance to provide grant assistance in a determined amount in return for rent, electricity, water and natural gas payments, and negotiations are continuing in this direction,” he said.
Local products will increase on market shelves
Pekcan, who announced that the study on the change in the law to be made to include more local and geographically indicated products on the market shelves and reach the market, has been completed, said, “We are planning to give retail businesses the authority to increase the 1 percent shelf space allocated to geographically indicated products and local products by up to 5 times.” Pekcan said that the legislative amendment studies regarding the tracking of ownership information of bearer shares have been completed and they expect it to be on the agenda of the Parliament in the coming period.
“The Saudi Arabian side says there is no official stance on the boycott”
Answering the MPs’ questions about the boycott implemented by Saudi Arabia against Turkish products, Minister Pekcan said, “They always informed us that they did not have an official stance here, and they always brought up that these were the demands of the private sector. We stated that we expect concrete steps to solve the problems of our commercial and economic relations, within the framework of our rights and obligations arising from being a WTO member. Minister Pekcan, do you have an analysis on the “Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership” Agreement signed recently? He answered the question, “A detailed study will be carried out regarding RCEP.” Pekcan stated that they are following the problem encountered in egg exports to Iraq and that they have shared with the Iraqi side the products they want to be exempt from the bans.
From Minister Pekcan
- We started a new study on support for tradesmen.
- We contacted global companies other than public banks. We are working on what kind of support they can provide within the framework of social responsibility projects.
- We request the Ministry of Treasury and Finance to provide grant assistance in a determined amount in return for rent, electricity, water and natural gas payments.
Chain market criticism from AK Party MPs
During the meetings, opposition MPs as well as AK Party MPs criticized chain markets. AK Party Trabzon Deputy Salih Cora said, “I think the supermarkets issue is now heading towards a national security problem.” AK Party Erzurum Deputy İbrahim Aydemir pointed out the decrease in the number of grocery stores and said, “However, grocery stores are institutions that spread abundance on the ground. Therefore, I think these chains should be kept under control,” he said. MHP Istanbul Deputy İsmail Aksu also demanded that shopping malls and large market chains, which put tradesmen and craftsmen in danger of extinction, be bound by rules in a way that will not disrupt the conditions of competition.
Source: https://www.dunya.com/ekonomi/esnafa-yeni-destek-geliyor-haberi-601340
