The price increase that sparked a rebellion among the Grand Bazaar tradesmen! They started protesting after the new occupancy fees.

The hefty increase in occupancy fees has caused an uproar among the tradespeople in the Grand Bazaar, one of Istanbul's historical and touristic spots.

THEY HAVE STARTED TO TURN OFF THE LIGHTS OF THEIR SHOPS

Fatih Municipality has raised the occupancy fee it charges from the Grand Bazaar tradespeople from 900 TL to between 8,000 and 15,000 TL per square meter, depending on the shop's location. In response to the increase, the tradespeople have started to turn off the lights of their shops every day at noon to protest the decision.

THEY REQUESTED A REVIEW OF THE DECISION

The tradespeople, who stated that the occupancy fee in the Spice Bazaar is between 700 and 900 TL per square meter, requested a review of the decision.

WORK HAS INTENSIFIED

Last month, the Fatih Municipality's Zoning Directorate took action to regulate the occupations in the Grand Bazaar. As part of the efforts carried out by the municipality, tradespeople were warned about occupations that exceeded the designated boundaries in front of their shops. Additionally, investigations were conducted regarding shops that do not have occupancy records.