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Türkiye’s Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said no new decision has been taken to privatize key transport assets, pushing back against recent claims that two major Istanbul bridges and several toll roads would be transferred to private operators.
An earlier Bloomberg report suggested that the operating rights of the 15 July Martyrs Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, along with nine toll highways, could be handed over to the private sector, with London-based consultancy Ernst & Young reportedly assigned to the process.
Simsek explained that prep work by the Privatization Administration is just routine for assets already in the program, which are added by presidential decision and handled transparently, according to the Türkiye daily.
The minister said privatization methods are determined based on the characteristics and conditions of each entity. He underlined that measures are designed to prevent monopolistic structures, broaden ownership, and maintain state oversight in strategic sectors, including the use of privileged shares where necessary.
He also pointed out that in sectors involving natural resources, rights are typically limited to operational control for a defined period rather than full ownership.
The 15 July Martyrs Bridge, opened in 1973, is the oldest crossing over the Bosphorus Strait, stretching about 1,560 meters (5,118 feet) between Europe and Asia. The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, completed in 1988 to the north, spans approximately 1,510 meters (4,954 feet) and forms part of Istanbul’s main east-west transport corridor.
Official figures showed that Türkiye’s roads and bridges recorded more than 1.12 billion vehicle crossings in 2025. Of these, 586 million crossings took place on six state-run highways as well as the 15 July Martyrs and Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridges.
Treasury data showed that these crossings generated ₺1.88 billion ($43.17 million) in revenue. Türkiye, meanwhile, projected ₺185 billion ($4.24 billion) in privatization revenue for 2026 under its Medium-Term Program.
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