Alcohol ban in Turkey’s tourism hub Antalya

Police department and the governor’s office of Turkey’s Antalya province has released a written statement about a recent ban on alcohol consumption in the province.

According to the official statement, consuming alcohol in a ‘disturbing and open’ manner has been banned all across the city in places except for houses and venues licensced to sell alcohol.

The ban covers ‘parks, beaches, picnic and camping sites, open air public areas, historical sites, city squares’, and the like.

While the reason for the ban is explained in the statement as ‘a measure to ensure safety and peace in the city’, public reaction to the decision grew quickly over social media.

Main opposition party CHP’s Antalya MP Niyazi Nefi Kara defined the ban as a regulation that is ‘damaging to the city, democracy, and tourism.’

Millions of tourists, both domestic and international, visit the famous Mediterrenean city of Antalya each year. Since the tourism sector in the country received a major blow due to persisting security threats, the recent ban stands as a further risk for tourism.
Referring to previous comments of President Erdoğan where he said ‘AKP government never intervened with personal lifestyles’, MP Kara said the rhetoric of the President and the government officials does not match with the reality and asserted that the ban is an attempt to bring about ‘sharia rules’ to Antalya.

Source: https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/antalya-da-icki-yasagi-157312.html