Erdogan targets most popular local sharing space and backgammon for uncontrolled free speech
The tavern for the Turks is much more than a place to eat and drink, locals say. It is above all a space for communication, for social contacts, where you can share problems and clarify politics while rolling the dice on the board with friends. There in an unpretentious atmosphere
served
appetizers in your pocket
to each and
drink cancer,
which the Turks also call lion’s milk (Aslansyutlu, after a popular brand in Germany), a drink close to our mastic, Greek ouzo, French pastis and Arabic arak. The word has the same root as Bulgarian brandy, but is produced mainly from raisins.
The taverns are an integral part of the Istanbul landscape – like the Bosphorus, Hagia Sophia and the Galata Tower. Without them, life in the popular Beyolu, Kadıköy and Beşiktaş neighborhoods would not be the same, Deutsche Welle reports.
Now, however, many residents of the metropolis are worried about the future of this type of restaurant. Not only because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the restrictions and strict hygiene requirements that reduce the clientele and create financial challenges for the owners. And because of an initiative of the Turkish government.
According to Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay, the names
mehana, bottle
bar, hookah
cafe, shop
for tobacco
must be
prohibited
and no longer be written on the plates of the objects. Oktay emphasizes that this measure is necessary in the framework of the “fight against addictions”. However, this may be the last nail in the coffin of the taverns.
There are at least two reasons why the Turkish authorities do not like this type of restaurant. One is that they drink alcohol. And since he came to power, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist Justice and Development Party have been waging a fierce battle with alcohol consumption in the country, constantly reminding him that it is banned by Allah’s command.
As early as 2013, a law was passed banning the consumption of alcoholic beverages after 10 pm, as well as their advertising. The more secular claim that if it depended on him,
Erdogan,
who is sworn
sober,
he would make
everyone to drink
only ayran
In Turkey, however, the “cup culture” has deep roots, and its rules of “moderation” are followed by both Muslims and locals of other religions. That is why the principle in the taverns is that the appetizers are not for eating and the brandy is not for drinking.
Ersin Kalkan, the owner of the tavern, explains that in these restaurants one enjoys the brandy in small sips. “Unlike bars, where alcohol is consumed as quickly as possible, in the tavern the conversations are thoughtful, the relationships are much more in-depth. “When you’re sitting in a tavern, you’re in no hurry,” he said.
“Meyhane” are
known since
Persian time
There is mostly brandy, but also wine. The word actually means house of wine. Brandy – raki – has been revered in the Ottoman Empire for centuries. It is made from semi-dried grapes, goes through double distillation and finally anise seeds are added to the drink. Turkish brandy is usually 45% and is drunk with water, which gives the drink its milky white color, hence the name lion’s milk.
According to Ezel Akai, a famous Turkish actor and director, the consumption of the drink in the tavern follows certain strict rules of conduct that should not be violated. The mechanic culture categorically rejects all quarrels and conflicts – even in those cases when the people at the table are completely free to express their views, which are often contradictory. A
mehanjiyata
take responsibility
for its guests and
he is always obliged
to know who
how much he wears
“When necessary, the mechanic politely pulls the bottle from his client’s hands,” explains Akai. That is why, according to him, in Istanbul you will not see drunk people on the street.
To dissuade his compatriots from drunken pursuits, Erdogan is constantly raising excise taxes. Since ruling the country,
prices of
brandy are
increased
by as much as 2000%
A bottle costs as much as one-tenth of the Turkish minimum wage. “A bottle of brandy is subject to 234% excise duty, and when buying a pitcher of beer, which costs 10 pounds, as much as 6 pounds go to taxes,” said Turkish opposition politician Yozgur Ozel. Owners of taverns remind that in 2010 a bottle of brandy in their restaurants cost 4.20 euros, and now due to alcohol taxes it has jumped to 20.50 euros.
The other reason the authorities look closely at the taverns is that over the years they have become a place of free speech. They are
the only ones
places where
the government
no influence
because there people gather, exchange ideas and discuss problems, reveal the local people. In practice, it is the equivalent of the taverns, which the French writer Honore de Balzac says are the “parliament of the people.”
Istanbul-born author and gastronomy expert Tan Morgul told Deutsche Welle that taverns have always been a thorn in the side of the ruling conservative elite. In their role as a social vent, they are considered, if not dangerous, then at least places to keep an eye on.
“Our culture
of the machines is on
way to disappear “,
complains an owner in the Beyolu neighborhood. He does not understand the Turkish government’s new intentions regarding the abolition of the names. According to him, this will further complicate the already difficult situation in which the industry has found itself.
Many experts doubt that removing the “tavern” sign would eradicate vices, especially in the case of drinking.
“It is absurd
to believe
that the lack of
plate in front
the restaurant will
made the addicts
to stop drinking “,
thinks psychologist Boris Gurkas. “If the government’s goal was really to fight addiction, then it is more appropriate to provide psychological support to alcoholics and people at high risk of addiction,” he said.
Turks are also unhappy that while alcohol consumption is becoming more and more restricted for them, the Turkish tourism ministry continues to advertise cancer to foreigners. The Go Turkey website, set up by the ministry, recommends that tourists enjoy Turkish appetizers along with a glass of crayfish. “The appetizer is not just for filling the stomach,” the website says. “If you enjoy a glass of crayfish at the same time, each appetizer will taste different.”
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