Dozens of accountants gathered outside the Treasury and Finance Ministry in Ankara yesterday to protest against increasing workload and tax obligations.
Members of the Ankara Chamber of Certified Public Accountants (ASMMMO) demanded a solution to the increasing workload on accountants due to inflation adjustments and simplified procedures for tax filing.
They displayed banners that read, “We’re fed up with your malfunctioning systems,” and “Our profession is our honor, no to grinds.”
Turgut Bahadır, head of the chamber, made a statement for the press, criticizing the ministry for failing to address accountants’ problems during what was a
Tax burden
The main complaint of accountants is that the implementation of inflation adjustments has significantly increased their workload. The adjustments are applied to financial statements to eliminate the effects of inflation when changes in the purchasing power of money distort the true financial situation. Turkey has been grappling with high inflation rates over the past couple of years.
Bahadır asserted that thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as loss-making and inactive firms, will face serious challenges due to the additional tax burden caused by the adjustments, saying thay some may even be forced to close down.
“Moreover, this practice will require companies investing in our country to pay taxes during the investment phase," he noted, predicting that this will increase unemployment and "exacerbate the economic crisis.”
Accountants are also calling for an extension of the financial holiday and the simplification of tax filing procedures. “We do not accept the grind placed on us. We do not want to provide separate information to every institution. Your systems fail on filing deadlines. Declarations and notifications must be simplified," Bahadır remarked.
“At this rate, you won’t find any professionals left to file tax returns,” warned Bahadır. “We don’t want to provide information to every institution separately, and your systems don’t work on filing deadlines.”
Following the statement, the accountants threw their computers in a symbolic gesture of protest.
📢 Ankara Serbest Muhasebeci Mali Müşavirler Odası'ndan Hazine ve Maliye Bakanlığı önünde eylem
— bianet (@bianet_org) August 19, 2024
🗣️ “Mesleğimize, emeğimize ve haklarımıza sahip çıkıyoruz” diyen @AnkaraSMMMO, bilgisayarlarını bakanlık önüne attı.https://t.co/gP9GyqXCuF pic.twitter.com/Gkv3JZwqX5
(VK)