Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry issues advisory on restrictions in Istanbul
Turkish authorities have imposed restrictions on movement on certain roads of the city, public transport and metro stops, bans on any mass gatherings and protests by citizens for four days up to March 23, Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry said in an advisory message on March 19.
The above measures are taken in order to maintain public order in the city, within the framework of an investigation initiated by the Turkish prosecutor’s office and security services, the ministry said.
On March 19, the BBC reported that Turkish authorities had detained the mayor of Istanbul, just days before he was due to be selected as a presidential candidate. Ekrem Imamoglu, from the secular Republican People’s Party (CHP), is seen as one of Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdoğan ‘s strongest political rivals.
The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry recommended that Bulgarian citizens visiting Istanbul in the days up to March 23 fully comply with the instructions of the local authorities when moving around the city and avoid places with mass gatherings of people.
(Photo: Liana Bitoli)
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