The government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan blames the peasants – and searches for onion stocks.
Intervention by the state authorities is nothing new in Turkey. At least since the foiled attempted coup more than two years ago, searches in the offices of government-critical journalists, teachers‘ rooms and military academies are normal. Tens of thousands of Turks have been dismissed from public service or imprisoned since the summer of 2016. For a few months, however, the Turkish state has been taking on an entirely new way: with so-called onion operations ( soğan ‚operasyonu ).
These are basically raids: Policemen search warehouses, just not for drugs, alcohol or tobacco, but for onions. This is the latest attempt by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to distract voters from the country’s economic crisis shortly before the local elections. For the displeasure over the last 25 percent increased food prices is great. In order to make the population aware that the government is not to blame, farmers have been pilloried for months. The charge: Farmers hide their crops and push up the prices.
„Raid in Ankara: 1,300 tons of onions confiscated!“ Heads of government such as the Yeni Akit already head end of November. On television, hectic images of onion stalls were shown on the bazaar in prime time, topped with dramatic music. After a search of a warehouse, the transmitter A Haber sent a reporter. Filmreifreif stood the man with microphone in a warehouse. The camera showed dozens of sacks of onions. There was plenty of it in Turkey, the reporter said, only petty farmers hide their harvest. This view was in line with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s warning, which he had previously announced with serious-looking cameras: „Those who hoard potatoes and onions will get their punishment.“
Turks make onion necklaces
Onions have become a symbol of the economic crisis in Turkey. If one kilogram in 2017 still cost around 1.5 lira, sellers today demand four times more. In the beginning, many took it with humor and made necklaces of onions, which they shared on Twitter. Meanwhile, the economic crisis is causing serious problems for many Turks. You wonder why such a simple crop like the onion can be so expensive.
The timing of the onion crisis is bad for the Turkish government. On March 31, local elections will be held throughout the country and the AKP, the Islamic-nationalist government party, must be afraid of losing mayor and city mayor due to disapproval in key constituencies such as Ankara and Istanbul. For the high prices hit especially poor and conservative layers, ie Turks, for whom Erdoğan was always an alternative to the elitist-secular establishment.
Many get not only less onions for their money than before, but also fewer potatoes, tomatoes and fruits. The mood among sellers at the bazaar is no better, as they sell less and do not get frustrated customers‘ frustrations over the high prices.
