Ministry of Treasury and Finance Launches Oversight on Social Markets

The Ministry of Treasury and Finance has put social markets under scrutiny as part of the fight against the informal economy. These markets, established in various districts, especially in Ankara and Istanbul, have become the focus of initial inspections.

The ministry has begun strict inspections in social markets to combat the informal economy. Inspections conducted by the Ankara Treasury Department took place in popular markets in the capital's Çankaya, Keçiören, Yenimahalle, and Sincan districts. During these inspections, those engaged in unregistered sales, failing to issue invoices, and not making rent payments through banks were identified. Additionally, sellers who did not declare rental income were also highlighted. Inspections of social markets will continue in other cities following Ankara.

The Revenue Administration will conduct cross-checks of documents and declarations. The Revenue Administration (GİB) is monitoring the shipment of commodities across various sectors, from organized industrial zones to fruit, vegetable, and fish markets. In this scope, the traffic of goods in organized industrial zones and markets has been scrutinized. Documents such as transport and shipment invoices and delivery invoices from commercial vehicles have been checked. Immediately after the inspections, these documents will be compared with the declarations of taxpayers.

In the first 15 days of December, a total of 68,975 taxpayers were inspected across the country, particularly in Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. As a result of these inspections, it was revealed that hundreds of taxpayers were operating entirely informally. Moreover, many workers were found to have no insurance registration. Reports prepared regarding businesses employing unregistered workers were sent to the Social Security Institution (SGK) for necessary legal actions.

Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek stated that the field inspections carried out as part of the fight against the informal economy would continue uninterrupted. He emphasized that similar monitoring practices will be maintained across all sectors in Turkey to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of tax audits, highlighting that those engaged in informal economic activities and those underreporting taxes are being closely monitored to ensure fairness in taxation.

The inspections initiated by the ministry aim to minimize the informal economy and achieve tax equity. The results of these intensive inspections, conducted simultaneously across Turkey, are expected to inform future economic regulatory steps.