Minister Soylu: Ban on alcohol sales is a matter of health

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA) - Archive

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Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu has talked about the ongoing ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages in Turkey during the 'full lockdown' imposed as part of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) measures.

Answering the questions of journalists on 24 TV yesterday (May 6), Soylu said that the issue should not be approached from an ideological point of view, adding that it was a "matter of health."

Soylu briefly said the following about the issue:

"The issue with the alcohol did not come out of nowhere. We had followed Europe for nearly 2 months. We confirmed this with our own experience, made our negotiations and drew our own road map.

"The alcohol ban began in the markets as of December. They did it back then, too. Both about the lockdown and about the new year's... 78 percent of our citizens said that they found this normal.

"The World Health Organization (WHO) set the rule. It said, 'Protect your immune system by refraining from alcohol', 'Stay sober', 'Don't put anyone at risk when you have to make a swift decision', 'Take it on the limit', 'Alcohol intake, even when at home, increases the risk of failing to keep social distance', 'If you have the opportunity to consume alcohol especially on the days of restriction, you consume more', 'Domestic violence is seen to increase with alcohol consumption.'

"There is no need to politicize this, there is no need to take an ideological attitude, this is a matter of health." (EKN/SD)