Sharp Reaction Against Attempts to Ban Liquor

Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu made a statement on the discussions over the "alcohol ban." He said a ban is out of question, adding that only the authority to grant permissions to serve alcohol had changed hands.

"The bureaucratic procedures lengthen when the authority is with the municipalities," said Murat Ersuren, who owns a bar. "Municipalities are political institutions. We are against the ban," said Arif Keskiner. Lawyer Kemal Vuraldogan from the Ankara Bar Association argued that the "government should protect youngsters from alcohol addiction," but that a ban was illegal.

"Not an alcohol ban, just a transfer of authority"

Interior Minister Aksu denied that there was an alcohol ban. He said the authority to grant permissions was transferred from the police to municipal councils. "Within the limits of the municipality, the municipal council decides on the location of places that serve alcohol," said Aksu. "Outside those limits, the provincial council makes that decision. There is just a transfer of authority."

"The transfer of authority will lead to the lifting of bureaucratic obstacles. This way, the restaurant, bar or club owners will be able to get permissions much faster." Aksu said that, contrary to reports, the region of places that serve alcohol will not be the in a "red dot" area. There may be more than one region, said Aksu.

Ankara Bar Association going to court

Lawyer Kemal Vuraldogan, who spoke to Bianet on behalf of the Ankara Bar Association, said that he had asked municipalities for information on the alcohol ban. "We will act depending on their response within 60 days," said Vuraldogan. The lawyer added that the ban mentioned in news reports is against the law." The Constitution states that the government should protect the youth from alcohol addiction, not from alcohol," said Vuraldogan. "It is forbidden to sell alcohol to children under 18 anyway."

Ersuren: "It is more difficult to get approval from municipalities"

"It is more complicated and more difficult to get permission to serve alcohol from the municipality, than from the police," Murat Ersuren, who owns a bar in Beyoglu, Istanbul, told bianet. "Relocating places that serve alcohol to the suburbs is as meaningless as relocating all meat restaurants to the suburbs in the name of the rights of vegetarians." Ersuren argued people would not travel to the suburbs to have fun.

Keskiner: "Municipalities are political institutions "

"We oppose this ban," said Arif Keskiner, who also owns a bar. "This is a limitation of rights." Keskiner said that municipalities are political administrations and that adults will be responsible for this issue. He argued that it meaningless to try deal with such problems with every change of administration at the municipal level.

Alcohol ban in 62 provinces

Alcohol bans have been implemented in public places in Turkey for a long time. According to a research by Merkez News Agency, there is an alcohol ban in public places in 61 provinces, out of 81 in Turkey. Alcohol is not served in state-owned teacher's guest houses in 37 provinces. Alcohol is not sold in any social facilities of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. (EO/TK/EA/YE)