Tourist yachts in the Bosphorus took action on Cabotage Day

In the protest attended by approximately one hundred and fifty yachts, sector representatives tried to make their voices heard. Yacht operator Hatice Doğaç said, "We tried to make our voices heard today with 150 yachts. We tried to make our voices heard with many of our large and small yachts. The holiday is our holiday. Cabotage Holiday, Sea Holiday. We both had our holiday and tried to make our voices heard. I hope they go to the relevant places and show us more necessary attention."

Dozens of boats and yachts set sail today as part of the Maritime and Cabotage Day, celebrated every year on the first day of July. Tourist boats that tour along the Bosphorus also held a protest to announce their problems to the Chamber of Shipping and authorities. Boats from Bebek, Arnavutköy and Eminönü regions also joined the protest, which they carried out by honking their horns with banners on them.

'WE ARE A SECTOR THAT DOES NOT RECEIVE ENOUGH ATTENTION'

Yacht operator Hatice Doğaç said, "We are one of the yachts that support tourism on the Bosphorus. We have had major problems for years. Right now, our biggest problem is electricity. Our electricity has been cut off. There is a lot of victimization here on the Bosphorus due to someone's wishes. We are a sector that pays millions of liras in taxes, a sector that supports tourism. However, we are a sector that does not receive enough attention and is trying to survive with our own efforts."

Stating that they do not have electricity, water, shelter and waste infrastructure, Doğaç said, "We have no shelter, no electricity, no water, no place to throw waste. We always find and bring these from somewhere with our own efforts. We had electricity that we received from the state, they cut that off too. The reason is because of someone's complaint. We are that simple, that invisible, that easy. If someone does not want it, our electricity can be cut off very easily. We have no water. How are we going to provide service? How are we going to produce taxes?"

Stating that a large part of tourism passes through the Bosphorus, Doğaç said, "All world tourism, local tourism passes through us, the Bosphorus passes through us. We have very stylish, very beautiful yachts, very good technical services. But there is no support for this."

'WE BOTH HAD OUR HOLIDAY AND TRIED TO MAKE OUR VOICE HEARD'

Stating that they came together on the occasion of Cabotage Day, Doğaç said, "We held an action today for Cabotage Day to make our voices heard. I hope it went to the relevant places. I hope they show us more interest and support. We will sit down at the table together to solve our problems. I hope we will not be a sector that is chased and pushed back. We tried to make our voices heard with 150 yachts today. We tried to make our voices heard with many of our yachts, big and small. The holiday is our holiday. Cabotage Day, Sea Day. We both made our holiday and tried to make our voices heard. I hope they go to the relevant places and show us more necessary interest."

DHA

Reporter: News Center