Loan package welcomed by tradesmen unions

A loan package announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been welcomed by the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK) and the Central Union of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen Credit and Bail Cooperatives Unions (TESKOMB).

According to the plan, the state lenders will provide a total of 100 billion Turkish Liras ($5.4 billion) to the tradesmen at an annual interest rate of 7.5 percent to be paid in back in 60 months.

"The 100 billion loan is an important amount, especially for the tradesmen who have debts but cannot get loans," TESK President Bendevi Palandöken said.

"Now, our eyes are on the good news of the retail law that will be brought to the parliament, and the limiting of our workplace rent increases to 25 percent as in residences, and the one-time zeroing of the ÖTV [Special Consumption Tax] in commercial vehicles."

Palandöken added that the loan package will help the tradesmen have a sigh of relief.

"Around 1.3 million tradesmen benefited from the previous trades package, and we expect this number to increase with the new additions," he said.

"Gasoline, diesel, and LPG have become very expensive; a one-time excise duty on electric commercial vehicles will reduce these costs, so it will have a positive impact on the public's transportation costs," Palandöken added.

"In addition, the retail law will come to parliament this month. We repeated our demands for changing the opening and closing hours of the supermarkets, and stopping the sale of furniture, telephones, electronic goods, stationery and bakery products. Our president is also on this issue."

On the other hand, TESKOMB President Abdülkadir Akgül said that the credit limits have increased, and 100 billion resources have been...