In Hakkari, hundreds of shopkeepers and tradesmen, went bankrupt or became foreclosures in recent years. Tradesmen whose workplaces are open complain about not being able to make business.

Shopkeepers said that it has become impossible to survive with the economic crisis and price hikes. Mevlan Tekçe said that they have no savings left and that they are dragged into debt. Tekçe said: “They squeezed everything out of us like a sponge. My situation used to be very good. There was a constant flow of money, people were coming to shop, we were selling our goods very easily. We didn't lack anything. For the last three years, there has been no such thing as a proper business. We are in such a bad situation right now that we can close our workplaces at any time. We have no choice left. We don't know what to do."

Drawing attention to the fact that the price of every product increases almost on a daily basis, Tekçe said: “In the past, we used to buy a tonne of sheet metal for 3,500 Turkish Liras. At the moment, the tonne of sheet is 25,000 Turkish Liras. Until it comes to us, this price goes up to 30,000. So, how much will we sell our products? Many shopkeepers were forced to close their shops. What will those who sit in the office understand about the situation of the poor and the shopkeepers? They are devastated. I can't pay my rent. Bills seem too high. We can no longer live. If this continues, I will be forced to close. A solution must be found for the economic crisis and price hikes. We need someone who thinks about the tradesmen and the people to come in the next election. This is what we want.”

There is a government that does not listen

Muhsin İhtiyatoğlu, who has been a shopkeeper in Hakkari for 7 years, said that they have been in a very bad situation for the last three years. He said that their rent was between 400-500 liras before, and now it has risen to 3,000.

İhtiyatoğlu said: “We cannot sell the products we buy because they are extremely expensive. Just as people can't shop, we can't buy new products because of the high price. I have to borrow money from other places to pay my rent. Since we cannot sell the products we bought, we cannot pay our debts to the wholesalers. The broom I bought for 200 liras last year has become 1,500 liras this year. We don't know how to support our families, what to do now. There is a government that does not listen to the concerns of the shopkeepers.”