Economic stability strengthening: Şimşek tells business leaders
ISTANBUL
Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek has met with industrialists and businesspeople across several provinces as part of the “Business World Meetings” program, delivering a message that Türkiye’s economic stability is strengthening.
In a 123-page presentation he made at those meetings, published on its website, Şimşek outlined the government’s economic program and its results.
Şimşek said macroeconomic balances are improving, disinflation is continuing, and fiscal discipline is being maintained while addressing the aftermath of the 2023 earthquakes.
“Structural improvement in the current account continues. Growth is resilient, unemployment is low. Financial stability is strengthening. Structural transformation is gaining momentum,” he stressed.
Şimşek highlighted a recent change in the definition of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which will allow more companies to qualify for SME status and benefit from related support programs. According to the presentation, the new definition covers 600,000 businesses, and is expected to create an additional monthly credit growth potential of 2–5 billion Turkish Liras.
Addressing calls for lower tax rates, Şimşek pointed out that Türkiye has the fifth-lowest overall tax burden among OECD countries, at 23.5 percent.
The country ranks third-lowest in direct tax burden, while indirect taxes account for 10.7 percent of GDP — slightly above the OECD average of 10.4 percent, according to the presentation.
