Automotive Exports March 2021

Turkey launches
far reaching
measures
against
pandemic
Ayear into the coronavirus pandemic,
Turkey has deployed plenty of ammunition
in its arsenal to fight and cushion the
fallout for its economy and citizens.
From tax cuts, postponements and debt
restructuring to cash aid and wage support
systems, the government unveiled multiple
measures for tradespeople, workers and
citizens to mitigate the impact of the
outbreak.
Turkey registered its first COVID-19 case
on March 11, 2020, the same day that the
World Health Organization (WHO) declared
the coronavirus a pandemic.
It did so only after weeks of resisting the
term and maintaining that the highly
infectious virus could still be stopped.
A year after, Turkey is in a “controlled
normalization process,” with some
restrictions eased but some strict measures
are still in effect. It is also moving ahead
with its vaccination campaign that began in
mid-January.
The pandemic forced many countries
around the world, including Turkey, to
enact measures to reduce mass mobility to
stop the spread of the virus.
Ankara had temporarily halted air traffic
with some countries and shut schools and
businesses.
Citizens were urged to “stay at home” and
advised to avoid social contact and work
remotely if possible, and public institutions
and private companies took measures in
this direction.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan initially
announced a TL 100 billion ($13.44 billion)
stimulus package to support the economy
on March 18, postponing debt payments
and reducing tax burdens in some sectors.
Since then, Ankara gradually widened
such measures. The support offered to the
citizens has reached TL 311 billion, Erdoğan
said this week.
The government also stepped in to top up
income or pay daily stipends, while small
businesses were given access to fresh loans.
Some of the measures announced last
year have been extended ever since and
continue to be implemented.
The tax reductions introduced in several
sectors, including tourism, accommodation
and transportation, remain in effect until at
least June of this year.
The government in January this year
announced it postponed the taxes of
businesses whose activities were disrupted,
including cafes, cinemas and various sports
facilities.
The ban on layoffs, a measure that kept the
unemployment down throughout 2020,
was extended through mid-May. It was
first introduced in April last year for three
months.
The country also extended cash assistance
to its citizens. It had been extending TL
1,000 to the families in need.
Limited to takeaway service for much of
last year, restaurants and cafes reopened
as of this month as the country announced
steps to ease pandemic restrictions, after
the number of new cases fell below 10,000
daily. Weekend lockdowns were lifted in
low- and medium-risk cities and have been
limited to Sundays in those deemed higher
risk. Just 10 days after Erdoğan announced
the easing of measures, the daily number
March 2021 60