Özgür Özel Alleges Erdoğan Plans to Sell Major Bridges to British Firm

Turkey’s main opposition leader Özgür Özel has alleged that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is preparing to transfer the revenue rights of two Bosphorus bridges and seven highways to foreign investors, possibly a British company. Speaking at a rally in Kocaeli, Özel claimed his party had obtained official correspondence from the Transport Ministry suggesting preparations for privatization. The government has not yet responded to the allegations.

Opposition Raises Privatization Allegations

Özgür Özel, leader of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), said at the “Defending the National Will” rally in Kocaeli that his party had obtained documents indicating potential privatization steps involving key transportation infrastructure.

Özel claimed the documents included correspondence from the Ministry of Transport to the regional highways authority. Referring to the alleged paperwork, he publicly questioned whether the government had decided to grant the revenue rights of two Bosphorus bridges and seven highways to foreign investors in exchange for what he described as a five-year lease arrangement covering 25 years of projected income.

“Have you decided to hand over these two bridges and the 25-year revenue of seven highways to foreigners or not?” Özel asked, adding, “I will not allow the nation’s property to be sold.”

The presidency and the Transport Ministry have not issued an immediate response.

Reference to Alleged Official Letters

According to Özel, one document dated November 17, 2025, suggested that if certain highways were privatized, existing lease and allocation agreements would automatically lapse. A second document dated November 19 allegedly stated that a foreign consultancy firm would conduct inspections on two Bosphorus bridges and several highways, requesting local authorities to facilitate the process.

Özel further claimed that international media had reported negotiations with a British firm, though he provided no additional documentation publicly at the rally.

Turkey has previously privatized major infrastructure assets, including highways and bridges, through build-operate-transfer and revenue-sharing models. The two Bosphorus crossings are considered among the country’s most strategic transportation assets.

Broader Criticism of Government Policy

During his speech, Özel also criticized the government’s public investment record in Kocaeli, one of Turkey’s highest tax-contributing industrial provinces. He argued that despite the city’s economic weight, it ranks low in public healthcare investment compared to other provinces.

He accused the ruling party of failing to complete a metro project after five consecutive terms in local government and criticized what he described as mismanagement of infrastructure planning.

Environmental Dispute in Kartepe

Özel also addressed controversy over a planned hospital project in the district of Kartepe, claiming it would be built on agricultural land despite the availability of alternative sites. He said a court had annulled the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report but alleged that authorities were attempting to proceed regardless.

He pledged his party’s support for local opposition groups and environmental organizations challenging the project.

Call for Early Elections

Turning to national politics, Özel renewed the opposition’s call for early elections, stating that the country no longer seeks cabinet reshuffles or incremental economic measures but “the ballot box.”

“These elections will not merely choose a president,” he said. “They will close one era and open another.”

Özel framed the vote as a broader democratic reset, arguing that political change must come through public mandate rather than executive decisions.

Political Context

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has previously defended privatization policies as tools to reduce fiscal burdens and attract foreign investment. However, large-scale infrastructure sales have often drawn criticism from opposition parties, who argue that long-term revenue streams are being transferred at below-market valuations.

Financial terms or formal tender announcements regarding the bridges and highways mentioned by Özel have not been officially disclosed.

Markets did not immediately react to the allegations, and there has been no confirmation from British authorities or companies regarding potential involvement.