Ekrem Imamoglu Prevents Refugees from Riding Free Public Transportation

The mayor of Istanbul, who belongs to the opposition CHP party, Ekrem Imamoglu, announced that the municipality will cancel the right of foreigners to benefit from free public transportation on holidays.

Imamoglu said in a television interview on Sunday, August 21, that the Istanbul municipality will impose transportation fees on foreigners residing in Istanbul on public occasions and holidays in which the municipality applies free transportation.

Imamoglu had earlier accused the refugees of causing the transportation crisis and said that the number of Syrian refugees in Istanbul exceeded three million, blaming them for the problem of difficulty and crowding of public transportation, which prompted a denial from the city’s immigration department.
Activists warn of the escalation of discriminatory and hate speeches practiced by some opposition politicians against refugees.