İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality to Buy Horse Carriages in Princes’ Islands

* Photo: Tansu Pişkin - bianet

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The İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İMM) has decided to purchase horse-driven carriages in the Princes' Islands in Adalar district.

The proposal to buy the carriages from their owners passed the municipal council of the İMM yesterday (January 16).

Sharing a message on his international Twitter account today, İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has also announced that "as promised, all horse-drawn carriages in Istanbul's Princes' Islands will be taken out of service as per yesterday's IMM Council decision."

The Council has agreed unanimously

The proposal of the Directorate of Public Transportation Services to buy the horses, their carriages and registered license plates was discussed In the first municipal council meeting of the İMM in January. The proposal was referred to the relevant commission after the discussion.

The report of the commission was brought up to the agenda yesterday. Accordingly, the municipal council of the İMM has unanimously agreed to purchase all horse-driven carriages in the Princes' Islands in Adalar district.

The Municipality will pay 300 thousand Turkish Lira (TRY) per carriage.

Gül: Animal rights of horses will be protected

Erdem Gül, the Mayor of Adalar, addressed the municipal council after the vote and thanked them for their decision.

Gül indicated that a few horse-driven carriages might stay in the Princes' Islands, underlining that it would only be a symbolic gesture and the horses would not be used as a means of transport. This issue would be discussed later on, according to Erdem Gül.

Mayor Gül also referred to the public impression that the owners and riders of carriages were tormenting the horses.

Indicating that these people had been in this business for 3-4 generations, he stressed that this negative impression led to discredit on the part of carriage owners and riders. Gül said that these people also had children and there was a need to stand in solidarity with them.

Gül added that all horses in the islands would be brought to the mainland and it would be ensured that they live in accordance with animal rights.

'All horse-drawn carriages will be taken out of service'

İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu also shared a message about the issue on his Twitter account today and stated the following:

"As promised, all horse-drawn carriages in #Istanbul's Princes' Islands will be taken out of service as per yesterday's IMM Council decision. The Council has decided that license plates assigned to the 277 carriages in the islands will be purchased and revoked by the IMM."

As promised, all horse-drawn carriages in #Istanbul's Princes' Islands will be taken out of service as per yesterday’s IMM Council decision. The Council has decided that license plates assigned to the 277 carriages in the islands will be purchased and revoked by @municipalityist. pic.twitter.com/X1qVzRYmr1

— Ekrem İmamoğlu (International) (@imamoglu_int) January 17, 2020

What happened?

In late December in 2019, several horses in the Princes' Islands of İstanbul were diagnosed with "glanders." Adalar Sub-Governor announced that 81 horses were killed due to "glanders" disease.

Shortly after 81 horses used in horse-driven carriages were diagnosed with "glanders" and killed, 347 animal rights associations and societies made a joint statement for the press, raising six requests, including the complete removal of horse-driven carriages from the islands.

İstanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya announced that horse-driven carriages were banned in the islands for three months due to "glanders" outbreak.

On the other side, rights defenders staged a sit in protest across the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İMM) building in Saraçhane.

İMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu met seven representatives among the protesters, promising that 90 percent of transportation would be done with electric vehicles. Making a statement a day later, he announced that 35 horse-driven carriages would stay in the islands.

A group of associations and foundations made a joint statement and requested that the transportation action plan of the İMM be completed. (EKN/SD)