Finance News
Banknotes withdrawn.
From 1st January YTL banknotes are being withdrawn from circulation and will be fully replaced by the now familiar Turkish Liras (TL). But don't panic if you still have some old YTL banknotes, you can either donate them to us or redeem them at any Central Bank branch for 10 years, up until 31 Dec 2020.
Important changes to all Turkish bank accounts.
From 1st January all banking transfers must now use an International Bank Account Number (IBAN). This does not mean your account number will change and you do not have to take any action, but from now on whenever you want to transfer money within, into or outside of Turkey you will need your IBAN number.
Turkey uses a 26 digit IBAN number starting TR, you can find out your IBAN account number by going online, using an ATM or contacting your bank.
This system is already in use throughout Europe and many other countries, it improves efficiency. IBAN's include all the necessary details for a receiving bank to apply the payment directly to a beneficiary's bank account without any human intervention.
Internet banking login codes.
From now on in order to access your account online you will need a "one time password" which will consist of 6 numbers, the code will be sent via SMS to the mobile phone you have registered with your bank, there may be a small charge for the text.
If you don’t have a mobile phone or don’t want to use the text service you can ask your bank for a personal password generator called a “Sifrematik”. Banks may charge 25TL for the device.
Here is a photo of Garanti Bank's sifrematic, it measures 7.5 x 4.7 cm (3" x 2").
Road Tax Due
If you have a motor vehicle in Turkey don't forget your your Road Tax is due by the end of January.
This years rates are here - Vehicle Tax Rates for 2010
Akbuk Turkey.com
The Independent website about Akbuk in Turkey
Tax increases in Turkey from 1st January
Private Consumption Tax
Not too bad for drinkers.
The tax on beer has increased by 34% from 26 to 35 Kuruş per litre. On those figures it should only add about 5 Kuruş to a half litre bottle of beer, a petty amount but brewers, shops, bars and restaurants may decide to add their own increases as well, it would be no surprise if a bottle of beer increased by 50 Kuruş. Tax on spirits has increased by 10%.
Smokers hammered.
Cigarettes have now gone up by around 1 Lira per packet or 10 Lira per carton. The price of a pack of cigarettes is now 4.25TL for the cheapest brand and 6.75TL for the dearest. A staggering increase, I needed a fag to get over the shock!
There are two reasons for this hike, Philip Morris SA, the main tobacco producer in Turkey, announced on 4 Jan they wwere increasing the price of their products by at least 15% with immediate effect, that increase, coupled with the 30+% tax hike on 31 Dec resulted in the 1 Lira per packet increase.
Fuel price hikes.
The price of a litre of 95 octane unleaded petrol has increased to 3.92TL. Diesel is now 2.71TL a litre. Liquid petroleum gas (LPG) also increased by 18kr a litre.
Imported mobile phones.
Tax on mobile phone imports also rose by 10TL to 50TL in 2010. The Finance Ministry will now receive 50TL for every imported cell phone.
Belediye install metal detector
We saw today (21 Jan) a new walk through security metal detector has been installed in the lobby of the belediye building. Although it is operational (I set it off) the work does not appear to be complete yet because you can simply walk around it.
Maybe this in in response to the incident below. What next, armed guards at the doors? A sign of the times perhaps but a bit much when all you want to do is pay a 24 TL water bill.
Akbuk's mayor & wife in shooting horror
The mayor Erçin Sandalcı and his lawyer wife Nesrin were watching TV at about midnight on Wednesday (Jan 13) at their home in Akbuk. The couple were sat in their lounge when someone open fired with a rifle on their house. The shots broke windows, flew past above the couple’s heads and hit the walls. They survived the incident without injury.
The gendarme have begun an investigation. The security officers consider the possibility that this assault might be a result of the political tension which has been constantly rising in Akbük since the elections.
In the mayoralty elections Erçin Sandalcı from CHP (Republican People’s Party) had competed against his father-in-law Halil Başaran from MHP (Nationalist Movement Party).
The district election committee announced Halil Başaran as mayor with 726 votes, while Erçin Sandalcı was left at 724. However Sandalcı applied for a re-count of the votes, which came out as 729 for Sandalcı and 727 for Başaran. Upon this Halil Başaran objected to the Aydın Provincial Election Committee, which canceled the second count. The son-in-law then carried the matter to the Supreme Election Committee, which overruled the Provincial Committee’s decision and announced Erçin as the mayor.
The political tension in Akbük has not reduced since the elections.
When Council Member Kadir Taşdere resigned from MHP, he was attacked in front of the council building. Following this attack, CHP’s Council Member Mustafa Demirbaş was stabbed in front of a supermarket. Last month, some businesses were attacked and windows broken.
This article is taken from the Voices Newspaper
