Bridges and motorways under the Highways Directorate placed into the privatisation programme for thirty years, with no transfer of ownership. Official text at resmigazete.gov.tr.
What the decision does. Article 1 places the Niğde–Pozantı Motorway, the Gaziantep Ring Motorway and the Çağlayan–Yenişehir section of the Bursa Ring Motorway into the privatisation scope and programme, together with their connection roads, maintenance and operating facilities, service areas, toll collection centres, freight transfer centres and other production units and assets. Article 2 brings into the same process the bridges and motorways already placed in scope by the Privatisation High Council's decisions 2003/4 of 24 February 2003 and 2010/88 of 15 October 2010 — including the 15 July Martyrs Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge.
Method. The assets are to be privatised as a whole or in groups, by transfer of operating rights, lease, establishment of rights in rem short of ownership, or the revenue partnership model, or a combination of these. Ownership is not transferred. The contract term is thirty years. The Privatisation Administration is authorised to prepare and execute the transactions, which are to be completed by 31 December 2031.
Operation in the interim and after. Until the transactions are completed, maintenance, repair and operation of the roads, bridges and facilities remain with the Highways Directorate (KGM). After transfer, the operators' maintenance, repair, operating and other obligations are to be set by KGM, which also retains supervision and control.
The Administration's statement. The Privatisation Administration described the purpose as raising service quality, accelerating maintenance and investment, improving operating efficiency and building sustainable infrastructure management; it stated that no free motorway is being made a toll road, that no additional tariff increase is being decided and that employees' existing rights are not affected.
A confederation of public-sector unions has applied to the Council of State for annulment of the decision. The Treasury and Finance Ministry has stated publicly that the ~$600m annual figure circulating for the assets is revenue, not profit. The desk's own reading of the decision is in Sections 01–02 of the note.