Full Lockdown in Turkey
After high infection and death rates, it was decided to enter into a full lockdown from 29 April to 17 May 2021 in Turkey.
This is the first full lockdown decision since the beginning of Turkey’s battle with Covid-19. Regarding the new measures during the full lockdown, the general rule is to stay at home and work remotely except for essential shopping and urgent medical treatment. There are some exempted workers and sectors such as employees in the health sector, employees in the production and manufacturing sector, employees in the compulsory public sectors (airports, border gates, PTT-Turkish Post-), lawyers with judicial duties, notaries on duties, a limited number of bank employees, agricultural production workers, transport workers, press members, etc.
These individuals will be exempted from full lockdown, provided that they document that they are within the scope of the exemption and limited to the reason/route of exemption. It is clear that the full lockdown affects working life including judicial works. The Council of Judges and Prosecutors announced a decision regarding judicial works during the full lockdown on 27 April 2021. According to this decision, courthouses continue to remain open but non-urgent hearings, negotiations, on-site examinations are postponed until 17 May 2021. Only works and proceedings that can be considered urgent such as hearings and judicial works related to arrested individuals, the statute of limitations which will expire, precautionary attachments decisions, investigation and prosecution files with a close statute of limitations will not be postponed. However, it should be underlined that the legal time limits will continue to run. For this reason, it is necessary to pay attention to periods such as the response period and objection period during the full lockdown period.
Additionally, in order to prevent the loss of rights regarding enforcement and bankruptcy proceedings that may arise because of the full lockdown measures, there was a change of law and it is regulated that; (i) checks that the last submission date is between 30 April 2021 and 31 May 2021 cannot be submitted during this period; (ii) regarding the receivables based on commercial bills that become due between 30 April 2021 and 31 May 2021, no enforcement and bankruptcy proceedings will be initiated during this period, the ongoing enforcement and bankruptcy proceedings shall be suspended and no precautionary attachment decisions will be granted, (iii) no enforcement and bankruptcy proceedings will be initiated during this period regarding receivables of public administrations arising from public or private law within the scope of Public Financial Management and Control Law no. 5018.
Although full lockdown is planned as 17 days, this period may be extended according to the number of cases and the effects of full lockdown on business life. We will keep you informed of the developments.
The Ministry of Interior of Republic of the Turkey Circular on New Restrictions and Measures December 1, 2020
Circular on curfew
Weekend curfew
Curfew during the week
Intercity Travel
Circular on New Restrictions and Measures
The Ministry of Interior of Republic of the Turkey Circular on Postponement of Large Participation Events November 27, 2020
Statement on the Employment Dormitories Institution, which continues its activities within the Ministry of Justice (24/04/2020)
Statement by the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services (23/04/2020)
Circular on Ramadan Measures in the Fight Against Covid 19 by the Ministry of Interior (22/04/2020)
Statement by the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services (22/04/2020)
Statement by the Presidency of Administrative Affairs (21/04/2020)
Circular on the Curfew to be Applied by the Ministry of Interior in 30 Metropolitan and Zonguldak Cities on 23-24-25-26 April (21/04/2020)
a.1- As of the beginning of the month of Ramadan, the working hours of markets and grocery stores are determined to be between 08.00 -23.00 on Tuesday, 21 April 2020 and Wednesday, 22 April 2020, before the days when curfew restriction/prohibition will occur.
a.2- To be limited to meeting the mandatory needs of citizens (except those aged 65 and over and those aged 20 and under) citizens will be permitted to shop at the nearest supermarkets and grocery stores on dates between 23 April 2020 and 24 April 2020 between 9:00-14:00 hours, and supermarkets and grocery stores will be permitted to delivery goods to homes/addresses.
a.3- Markets and grocery stores will be closed on Saturday, 25.04.2020, and Sunday, 26.04.2020.
b) On 23 April 2020 Thursday, 24 April 2020 Friday, 25 April 2020 Saturday and 26 April 2020 Sunday, bakeries and/or bakery-licensed workplaces where bread production is made, only the vendors that sell bread and workplaces where dessert production is made/sold (In these workplaces only bread, baked products, and dessert can be sold.) will be open.
c) During Ramadan, restaurants and restaurant-style workplaces, are only allowed to operate in the form of delivery to homes, on 23 April 2020, 24 April 2020, 25 April 2020, and 26 April 2020.
ç) Workplaces dealing with production, transportation and the sale of medicine, medical devices, medical masks, and disinfectants,
d) Public and private health clinics and hospitals, pharmacies, veterinarian clinics and animal hospitals,
e) Public offices and agencies needed for the continuation of obligatory public services (airports, ports, customs, border gates, highways, senior homes, senior care centers, rehabilitation centers, emergency call services, AFAD units, Vefa Social Support Teams, etc.,)
f) The number of fuel stations and tire repairers to be determined by the Governorships / District Governorates, one for every 50,000 inhabitants and one for every 50 km on the intercity highway and motorway if they pass through the provincial borders. method and the markets of the on-call fuel stations will be open.),
g) Major facilities and enterprises carrying out strategic activities in the natural gas, electricity and oil sectors (such as refinery and petrochemical facilities as well as thermic and natural gas cycle plants, etc.,)
ğ) Post office, water, newspaper, and propane distribution companies,
h) Animal shelters, animal farms and animal care centers,
ı) Emergency construction, equipment, etc. to increase the capacity of health services. businesses/companies carrying out the activities,
i) Under the condition of receiving permit from the provincial public health board, facilities producing pasta, flour, milk, meat and fish products and factories dealing with producing hygienic products such as paper towels, colognes and raw materials used for this purpose,
j) Local and international transportation (including export/import/transit pass,
k) Hotels and accommodation facilities,
l) Facilities producing packages for food, medicine and hygiene sectors
m) Large constructions and mines whose construction or work continues by accommodating employees at the construction site located in the construction site/mining area. limited only to the construction site/mining sites.),
n) Newspapers, radio and television channels, and printing houses
o) The subject of export, which has been previously contracted/committed and must be grown within the specified period; workplaces and facilities producing goods, materials, products, equipment (exceptions, provided that they prove their current obligations and comply with the mentioned conditions),
ö) wholesale markets for fresh fruits and vegetables on Thursday, 23.04.2020 and Friday, 24.04.2020, where there is a curfew/prohibition,
People in the Exceptions List
Statement on short-term working allowance by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services (20/04/2020)