Sellers in green market protesting against escalating rent costs
Starting May 1st, prices are set to surge by a whopping 20%, according to KTK's latest reports. This sudden hike has left sellers with no choice but to increase the prices on their goods.
Disgruntled entrepreneurs have put a halt to trading, shut down their boutiques, and taken to the streets in protest. These private vendors are furious about the upcoming changes, as they currently shell out 100,000 tenge per month for rent, which is about to jump to 120,000.
But the bad news doesn't stop there. The market is also undergoing a major overhaul, with trading points being divided into blocks. Think women's, men's, children's clothing and footwear - all neatly organized in different rows.
The tenants aren't thrilled about the new rules, fearing they might lose their loyal customer base.
Meanwhile, the city beautification project "Taza Qazaqstan" continues to transform Almaty. This year, the initiative is focusing on a facelift from building facade to building facade.
Though specific details about the protests by private vendors are scant, Kazakhstan has been the stage for various protests over broader social and political issues. Recent demands have included democratic reforms, calls for an end to perceived government corruption, and opposition to powerful oligarchs. President Tokayev's plan to de-oligarchize the economy aims to address some of these concerns[5].
If the vendors' protests are connected to economic changes, they could be affected by Tokayev's reforms, which are aimed at creating a more equitable economy and reducing oligarchic influence. However, the impact on specific groups like vendors may vary depending on the specifics of the policies and their execution[5]. For a clearer picture of KTK's report, additional sources or updates from KTK may be needed.
- Despite the protests from disgruntled entrepreneurs, the I Finance Minister of Kazakhstan, announced plans to reconstruct various boutiques in Qazaqstan, segmenting them into different categories such as home-and-garden, lifestyle, business, and home-and-garden.
- The vendors, who currently pay 100,000 tenge per month for rent, find the raise in rent to 120,000 tenge to be a significant challenge for their home-and-garden business.
- The city beautification project "Taza Qazaqstan" is also working on a reconstruction, focusing on updating the lifestyles of Almaty's residents by improving building facades.
- In addition to their concerns about the upcoming changes, vendors have raised different issues, such as democratic reforms, calls for an end to perceived government corruption, and opposition to powerful oligarchs, which have been the focus of various protests in Kazakhstan.
- In an attempt to address some of the vendors' concerns, President Tokayev's plan to de-oligarchize the economy aims to create a more equitable landscape for both business and lifestyle sectors, including boutiques and home-and-garden enterprises.
