Pandemic adds to Turkey's sinking economy

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Monday that a “full lockdown” would begin Thursday and last until May 17 but did not announce a stimulus package to offset the economic impact.

With Turkey's double digit inflation, sinking national currency and businesses in trouble, many Turks already have been struggling financially. Opposition lawmakers blasted the government Tuesday.

The leader of the main opposition party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, called on Erdogan to propose a social aid package that would help closed businesses and day laborers in Turkey’s informal economies. He also urged the suspension of debt enforcement proceedings for some time.

The government has been distributing tons of onions and potatoes this month with much fanfare. Many see it as a clear example of how much Turks are suffering from rising food prices and poverty. 

The World Bank, in a report published Tuesday, said Turkey's poverty levels rose from 10.2% in 2019 to 12.2% in 2020.

Facing record numbers of confirmed cases, Erdogan in mid-April announced a partial lockdown during the month of Ramadan, bringing back weekend curfews, extending evening curfew hours and closing down restaurants for in-person dining.

Confirmed cases averaged around 60,000 per day during the peak week this month. The country recorded its highest daily death toll on April 21, with 362.

The latest Health Ministry statistics reported Monday showed 37,312 new confirmed cases and 353 deaths. Turkey's total death toll in the pandemic stands at 38,711.