The number of debt enforcement files in Turkey has surpassed 23 million, signaling growing economic pressure on the population, according to data shared by the country's state postal service, PTT, with the parliament's committee on state economic enterprises.
With a national population of 86 million, this means nearly one in four citizens is involved in some form of debt enforcement or legal proceeding.
The volume of court and legal notifications delivered via the national postal service PTT has risen sharply in recent years, according to the shared briefing. In 2020, the total number of notifications was approximately 91 million. By 2024, this figure had jumped by 57 percent to nearly 144 million.
The notification data includes various judicial communications such as criminal, civil, and family court notices, along with enforcement proceedings. The PTT stated, “Notifications and e-notifications accepted amounted to 91,457,923 in 2020, 116,684,386 in 2021, 132,225,334 in 2022, 118,757,035 in 2023, and 143,884,748 in 2024.”
'The government may lie, the number don't'
Commenting on the increase, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Mehmet Tahtasız said, “The AKP government may lie, but the numbers don’t. In 2024, nearly twice the population has received court or enforcement notifications at their homes.
"People used to be happy to see the postman; children would sing songs when they saw one. Now people run away, because the postman no longer brings letters from loved ones, he brings court summons or debt enforcement notices.
“Go to any neighborhood office and you’ll find the mukhtar’s desk piled with notifications. This is the result of a government that has impoverished people and pushed them into debt. Every year, citizens bear the growing cost of a mismanaged economy.”
The parliamentary committee also reviewed the financial status of the PTT, which was transferred to the Turkish Wealth Fund in 2018. The company has reported losses each year since 2019.
From 2015 to the end of 2024, PTT held 906 public tenders and 1,360 procurement processes through direct purchases. MP Tahtasız raised concerns over transparency, saying, “Where there is no competition and no transparency, there is always suspicion.” (AB/VK)
