Two Bosphorus bridges, 8 highways and 2 ring roads have started to be privatized for 30 years.

With the decision published in the Official Gazette with the signature of AKP's President Erdoğan, the process for the privatization of two Bosphorus bridges, 8 highways and 2 ring roads was initiated for 30 years. NEW Party Zonguldak Deputy Deniz Yavuzyılmaz said that the İzmir-Çeşme and İzmir-Aydın highways are also included due to the reference to the Privatization High Council decision dated 2010. Yavuzyılmaz argued that after privatization, tolls will be close to the levels of highways operated with the build-operate-transfer model, and said, "Vehicle tolls are expected to increase four or five times in the future. Citizens will still pay the price for the transfer of public roads, which citizens have been using for years, to private companies." Yavuzyılmaz, who described the decision as "a privatization that betrayed the citizens", reminded that AKP administrators had rejected the privatization claims in the past and argued that the truth has been revealed with the latest decision.

A LEGAL APPLICATION WILL BE MADE

President of Çeşme Environmental Association, Dr. Ahmet Güler stated that the toll may increase from 53 TL to 350-400 TL and that the decision will have serious consequences for the people of the peninsula, tradesmen and tourism professionals, and said: "The road built with the public's money is sold to the public at a higher price. We have applied for legal remedies. Article 23 of the Constitution clearly states that everyone has the freedom to travel. If you make a road toll and do not offer the citizens a usable and free alternative, you have actually restricted the freedom of travel." "If there is a toll highway somewhere, there must also be a free state road parallel to it that citizens can use," he said.