TESK/Palandöken: The State Must Protect and Support Small Businesses According to the Constitution

In a recent proposal presented to the Parliament, Bendevi Palandöken, the President of the Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK), emphasized that the 5-point premium incentive, which has been uninterrupted since 2008, should continue. He stated, “The proposal submitted to the parliament suggests that the insurance premium support provided to employers who pay their taxes and premiums regularly will be reduced from 5 points to 4 points, placing an average monthly burden of 400 TL per employee on employers. However, the 5-point premium incentive in the manufacturing industry will continue until the end of 2026. The expression in Article 173 of the Constitution states, 'The State takes protective and supportive measures for tradesmen and craftsmen.’ It is unjust to protect larger entities, namely the manufacturing sector, while our tradesmen and craftsmen are facing economic difficulties during this period. The 5% premium support provided to employers who pay their taxes and premiums regularly must absolutely continue. In fact, we, as TESK, had previously requested an increase of the SGK premium incentive to 10%.”