Turkey Reintroduces Privatization Plan for Istanbul Bridges

Al-Taj News – Turkey plans to sell the operating rights for two famous bridges in Istanbul, along with highways, for a period of 30 years, as part of a multi-billion-dollar privatization plan, according to Bloomberg.

The July 15 Martyrs Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge are at the forefront of the privatization plan, according to a decree signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and published yesterday, Saturday.

Turkey is attempting to sell the operating rights for the two bridges for the first time in more than a decade, after Erdogan, who was prime minister at the time, rejected the winning bid of $5.7 billion, considering it too low.

Hundreds of thousands of vehicles cross the two bridges every day, and they are prominent landmarks on Istanbul’s skyline, connecting the European and Asian sides of the city across the Bosphorus Strait.

A government agency currently operates the two bridges, which are located on one of the most important waterways between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.

Turkey plans to complete the privatization procedures by December 31, 2031.

According to data from the General Directorate of Highways, state-owned bridges and roads directly operated by the government generated an estimated net profit of $600 million in 2025.