Erdogan approves privatization of Istanbul bridges and 10 highways

September 5, 2026 at 11:17 AM2 min

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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree adding three highways to Turkey's privatization program, joining seven previously listed roads and two Istanbul bridges. The decision allows operation rights, leasing, or revenue-sharing for up to 30 years, with transactions to be completed by December 31, 2031. Opposition lawmaker Deniz Yavuzyılmaz criticized the move, citing 2025 profits of $600 million from the assets.

Key Facts

The decree, numbered 11750 and dated September 4, 2026, adds the Niğde-Pozantı Highway, Gaziantep Ring Road, and the Çağlayan-Yenişehir section of the Bursa Ring Road to the privatization program.
The assets may be privatized through operation rights, leasing, or revenue-sharing for up to 30 years, with transactions to be completed by December 31, 2031.
CHP Zonguldak MP Deniz Yavuzyılmaz stated that the two Bosphorus bridges and eight highways generated a combined profit of $600 million in 2025 and $18 billion over 30 years.
The decree also covers connecting roads, maintenance and service facilities, toll collection centers, and freight transfer centers associated with the listed roads.

Privatization Scope

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree published in the Official Gazette that expands Turkey's privatization program to include three additional highways. The newly added routes are the Niğde-Pozantı Highway, the Gaziantep Ring Road, and the Çağlayan Kavşağı–Yenişehir Kavşağı section of the Bursa Ring Road. These join the previously listed Edirne-İstanbul-Ankara, Pozantı-Tarsus-Mersin, Tarsus-Adana-Gaziantep, and Toprakkale-İskenderun highways, along with the Boğaziçi and Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridges. The decree allows the assets to be privatized as a whole or in separate groups through methods including operation rights, leasing, revenue-sharing, or other legal arrangements.

Transaction Terms

The privatization will not transfer ownership of the roads and bridges; instead, operation rights will be granted for up to 30 years. The decree sets a deadline of December 31, 2031, for completing all privatization transactions. The scope includes not only the highways but also their connecting roads, maintenance and operation facilities, service areas, toll collection centers, and freight transfer centers.

Opposition Response

CHP Zonguldak MP Deniz Yavuzyılmaz criticized the decision on social media, calling it a betrayal of citizens. Yavuzyılmaz said the two Bosphorus bridges and eight highways earned a total profit of $600 million in 2025 and $18 billion over 30 years, equivalent to 871.92 billion lira at current exchange rates. He argued that the roads were paid for by taxpayers years ago and that privatizing them would lead to repeated toll increases by private operators over 30 years.