Turkish finance ministry to name and shame entities with tax debts exceeding 5 million lira

Turkey’s Ministry of Treasury and Finance will publicly disclose the names of entities with tax debts and unpaid fines exceeding 5 million lira ($147,375), the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Sunday.

Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek emphasized the importance of combating tax evasion and ensuring fairness in the tax system, stating that lists of delinquent taxpayers will be published later this year. “We have instructed every tax office to prepare these lists, which will include those with unpaid tax debts and penalties as of September 30, 2024,” Şimşek told Anadolu.

The names of those with outstanding debts will be published at local tax offices from October 15 to 31 and will be available on the Revenue Administration’s website from November 1-15.

Şimşek urged those who wish to avoid being labeled as “tax delinquents” to settle their debts by the end of September. He also noted that businesses operating in regions affected by the major Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, which occurred in February 2023 and killed more than 53,000 people, will be exempt from the disclosure.

This comes amid a debate over tax fairness in Turkey, particularly in light of recent revelations that some large corporations have paid little to no taxes. Critics argue that while the government’s move to name and shame tax evaders is a step in the right direction, it does not address the underlying issue of systemic tax privileges for powerful entities.