İstanbul Mayor Requests Curfew over Coronavirus Pandemic

Photo: AA

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The government should impose a curfew for İstanbul over the coronavirus pandemic, the city's mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu said today (March 26).

"If not for Turkey, we expect a controlled, gradual restriction for İstanbul at least," he said in a statement he made at the Metropolitan Municipality.

İmamoğlu said they were ready to help the government and added, "It is right, nice to make morale-boosting talks for the coming days. But, it is unfortunately obvious that there will be a disappointment in the future if the necessary steps are not taken today. Therefore, we should make decisive, radical decisions."

Although the government has been advising people to stay home and actively participating in the #StayHome (#EvdeKal) campaign, it has not been willing to declare a curfew or a state of emergency. Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Health Minister Fahrettin Koca previously suggested that people would rather "declare their own state of emergency."

"The epidemic is growing at a very high rate. Are you aware of that? This is why you should stay at home, so you should keep the social distance. You can't ignore your life. If we keep people alive, the world will live. This disease mostly affects our elderly people. We know that," İmamoğlu said.

The mayor informed that usage of public transport has reduced by 80 percent since the outbreak spread to Turkey. However, he added, there are still one million people daily using public transport services, including taxis.

The municipality has set up "disinfectant and information points" near public transport stops and stations in the city of 15 million.

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A psychological support line has also been introduced, İmamoğlu announced, saying that "İstanbulites will never feel alone."

"Tell us about your troubles, but please stay home, don't go out, don't use public [transport] vehicles, never leave home unless you have to. Stay home, Istanbul. We will succeed together," he said. (TP/VK)