MHP infuriates business owners with distribution of half a lira as 'seed money'

Duvar English

A local office of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) infuriated business owners in the Kocasinan district of the central Anatolian province of Kayseri by distributing 50 kurus of 'seed money,' along with a wealth prayer. 

The 50 kurus coin is the equivalent of 0.5 Turkish Lira (about 6 cents). 

"Exemplary behavior, our local office distributed envelopes with a wealth prayer and the words 'seed money from us, abundance from Allah,'" the MHP Kocasinan Twitter account said about the promotion.  

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Kayseri Chair Ümit Özer noted that "seed money as ridiculously inadequate as 50 kurus is an insult to small business owners while they await aid."

Ankara didn't provide relief aid to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic except for a deferral of loan payments and reduced interest rates on loans. 

"I said in my speech yesterday that not a single penny was given to small businesses without an expected return. I have to make a correction after the MHP local office's 50 KURUS initiative," CHP deputy Gamze Taşcıer tweeted on Dec. 18.