Sorry for the no show for the past two days – I intend to cover up the shortfall. However the absence had very good reasons behind it which I might cover in a future blog.
No, today’s topic is timely and frightening – yesterday The Department for Alcohol and Tobacco issues a press release for new legislation. The release states that:
No alcohol will be allowed on either Topkapi Palace or Hagia Irene – both places are home to many musicals, concerts and events.
Catering firms will not be able to sell alcoholic drinks at any events that they cater for.
So any festivals or concerts or art galleries will not be able to offer any alcoholic drinkd at any of their events. No one will be allowed to have a drink at a picnic or at the seaside. Any country wedding venues will either have to have a alcoholic drinks licence or not be allowed to serve alcohol.
Small supermarkets and cornershops will not be allowed to sell wine or small bottles (2ocl) of raki.
Bakkal, büfe, market artık küçük rakı, şarap satamayacak.
Shop signs will not be allowed to have any alcohol related logo or writing on them. Shops will also be not allowed to put alcohol anywhere near goods that might appeal to children such as cakes and sweets.
No alcohol licence will be granted to establishments near any roads or highways. So any chance of restaurants on the Mediterranean coastline serving alcohol destroyed.
Advertising cannot use public or private events to promote alcohol. So any reminder of happy days, valentine’s day or anything of the ilk is forbidden.
Any event with one or more under 24′s present will be banned from serving alcohol.
Any event with the possibility of an under 24 attending will be banned from serving alcohol.
No sponsorship of sports teams, arts festivals , galleries for alcohol brands. Just this part of the law is seeing Turkey’s premier basketball team being destroyed.
That’s the gist of the new law.
And it makes me furious – it seems a lot of the population of Turkey is furious , too. There’s already a considerable backlash on the internet.
However I’m very sceptical if the backlash will mean anything. After all the AKP party was voted in with a rather large majority. Whether people are now regretting that decision remains something to be seen.
History keeps coming to mind with Iran’s slide into fundamentalism – although it might be a little ways away , it has become a strong possibility for Turkey. Especially with the winds changing diplomatic relations towards the middle east as opposed to the West, it seems inevitable at this conjuncture that the country might fall further.
Mainstream media’s turning a blind eye to the event only shows their further compliance within this.
So if you feel about this like I do, inform people. Help turn the spotlight on Turkey and stop the slow creeping up of Islamic radicalism.
There’s a Facebook group protesting the laws with a DRINK on the 29th January: you might wanna join in and have a drink (or an extra drink) for Turkey. I will certainly be doing so.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=173062366069172
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