Limitations on alcohol sales and consumption in Turkey come into effect
Despite events in Gezi park, the Erdogan administration begun to implement the law that severely restricts the consumption, sale and advertising of alcoholic drinks.
With a new law adopted by Parliament last May, grocery stores, mini-markets and kiosks are prohibited from selling alcohol from 10 PM to 6 AM. Turks that want to drink even a single beer at night must buy it sooner. Shop owners are complaining as alcoholic beverages which they normally sell cannot be placed on shelves!
Also, the sale of alcohol is not allowed in restaurants and taverns that are situated within 100 meters of schools, language schools, dorms and places of worship. In Turkey there are 81.000 mosques and 68.000 schools!
Shops that are at a greater distance could offer drinks to their customers as long as they are seated within the premises but cannot sell alcohol to those seated adjacent to streets.
Finding places that sell alcohol is becoming increasingly difficult as the law prohibits the sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks on premises situated on motorways, hospitals, educational institutions, student halls, sports venues, coffee shops, bakeries and gas stations.
Under the new law, Turkish citizens will not be able to drink alcoholic beverages in parks, gardens, streets, or even beaches or benches etc.
For the full story, please click here
(Photo: Zsuzsanna Kilian/sxc.hu)
