Opposition Slams Turkey's Highway Projects, Citing 'Mega Robbery' of 49.6 Billion Lira in Guarantees

Yeni Parti lawmaker Deniz Yavuzyılmaz has sharply criticized Turkey's ruling party for its use of the 'build-operate-transfer' (BOT) model in highway projects, labeling the associated guaranteed payments as a "mega robbery."

According to Yavuzyılmaz, citing the General Directorate of Highways' "2026 Financial Status and Expectations Report," the government made guaranteed payments totaling 49 billion 640 million 288 thousand 997 lira in the first six months of 2026. These payments were necessitated by the failure of companies involved in BOT highway projects to meet guaranteed vehicle passage numbers.

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Its name is mega robbery.

Yavuzyılmaz shared a budget realization table from the report on social media, highlighting what she described as a "black hole" in the Treasury caused by unmet vehicle passage guarantees. She asserted that these payments, made under the "AKP style Yap-İşlet-Devret model," are a significant drain on public funds, effectively transferring money from citizens to companies.

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We have determined the current size of the black hole opened in the Treasury due to unmet vehicle passage guarantees in highway projects carried out with the AKP style Build-Operate-Transfer model. The Treasury's guaranteed payment to the companies in the first 6 months of 2026 is 49 billion 640 million 288 thousand 997 TL.