Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş on Tuesday announced that the municipality has postponed commercial rents due the city for two months in a move aimed at relieving tenants of a slowdown in economic activity, the Diken news website reported.
“My fellow citizens, the rents due our municipality have been postponed for two months for those having difficulties amid the [coronavirus] epidemic,” Yavaş tweeted.
On Monday the Turkish Interior Ministry ordered the immediate closure of a large variety of public places, including all kinds of cafés, coffeehouses, restaurants with live music, theaters, concert halls and exhibitions centers, as part of efforts the prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Yavaş also announced additional measures for funeral ceremonies aimed at preventing crowds.
Yavaş took office in Ankara after winning last year’s local elections as the opposition candidate, ending the 25-year-rule of conservative parties.