Amid massive economic downturn, Turks are struggling to keep up with rising energy expenses

(MENAFN) Ahmet Saymadi, a guy in his 40s, has been running a modest meyhane, a traditional Turkish pub, in Istanbul's popular Istiklal Avenue district for the last three years.

However, his firm has taken a blow in the last two years, first from the COVID-19 limitations and then from the massive economic crisis, which has "smashed everything" even as the epidemic begins to slow.

"In 2019, at least, the economy had a balance. Life was hard, but there was some stability in prices," he informed a news agency in a new interview. "But now, we are trying to do business in an environment where we cannot foresee anything."

One of his primary worries is the rising cost of energy, as his restaurant utilizes natural gas for heating and cooking, as well as electric heaters in the winter.

Saymadi's monthly bill has now risen to 6,000 Turkish liras, up from an average of 1,500 Turkish liras (86.5 US dollars) in the summer months of 2020.

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