The weakness of the Turkish currency attracts cross -border barges

Formerly capital of the Ottoman Empire between the 14th and 15th century, the city of Edirne, with its countless mosques, is now a giant market for the neighbors of the Balkans and Bulgaria - themselves among the poorest of the UnionEuropean.

Fruits and vegetables with low-end underwear, everything is bought at the low price and piles in buses.

"For us, it's good but it's really hard for the Turks," said a guide, Daniela Mircheva, before going back to the bus that brings her home to Yambol in Bulgaria.

"We were in the same situation 10, 12 years ago" adds the almost fifty -year -old in reference to the global financial crisis of 2008. "It is very difficult".

"Half price"

The Turkish pound does not stop collapsing and touching new funds almost every day, victim of the economic policy of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who persists, in reverse of economic dogmas, to promote the drop in interest ratesdespite inflation.

This exceeded in November 21% over a year and the currency lost more than 57% of its value compared to the dollar since the start of the year.

Consumer prices are soaring for the Turkish citizen.But Daniela Mircheva can pile up even more sunflower oils on her bus crowded with Bulgarian buyers in search of good deals."It's half price compared to Bulgaria. It's really a lot, much cheaper for us".

But on the side of the Turkish merchants, the mood is gloomy.

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Humiliating

"It's humiliating," admits Gulsen Kaya behind the batteries of sweatshirt and winter clothes piled up on his counter."Look at what he did with Turkey!"

The Head of State has bet on a wise book that would encourage exports and transform Turkey into a kind of essential supplier on the world market, in the manner of China.

As Prime Minister and then as President, he relied on the working classes to maintain his Islamo-conservative party, the AKP, in power since 2002.

Thanks to vigorous growth in the first decade, he also opened Turkey to foreign investments.

But for observers, economists and diplomats, the attitude of the Head of State is now difficult to follow.

"For me, if people who direct Turkey did what they have to do, their pounds would come back to the level where it was before very, very quickly," professes Tinko Garev, a Bulgarian customer."I'm really sorry for the Turks because I understand that these low prices mean for them".

Shocked

Bulent Reisoglu runs the Edirne market since he settled 15 years ago on the current site, similar to a large hangar.According to him, the number of customers has gone from around 50,000 per week to almost 150.o00 since the effects of the crisis have been felt.

"The number of foreign customers has multiplied by four or five," he said.However, traders earn their lives less well because additional sales do not compensate for the collapse of the Turkish pound.

"Our suppliers send us new price lists every week," complains a merchant, Utku Bitmez.

"All raw materials come from abroad, Europe, China and Italy," he explains."The price of products has doubled since last year".

Mr. Reisoglu, the market manager, confides that he sees traders riveted on their phone to monitor the evolution of exchange rates."We are in shock," he adds."No one expected such devaluation".

Bulgarian customers themselves seem uncomfortable.

"The locals cannot buy all these things," confirms Ilyana Todorova who shops with her teenage daughter."For ordinary people, it's not good."

© 2021 AFP